Midsummer Madness
by Burning Ice
Summary: ***UNDER REVISION*** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend. Zutara, Taang, Azulaang, Azulahn, Ty LeeOC and My Lee ***PREQUEL TO A NET TO CATCH THE WIND***
1. Chapter 1: Moonstruck

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating:** PG-13

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

**Pairing:** Zutara, though there is a bit of Maiko and Kataang at the beginning, so prepare yourself mentally. Steel yourself, my friend!

**Beta:** MusicIsLove, Sword-On-Fire

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Prologue**

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Ba Sing Se was finally starting to look like its old self again. The breeze that cut through the buildings was cool, gentle, and smelled of earth. The moon was rising, and Katara could feel it pulling gently on her; it made her whole body tingle.

Katara was frustrated.

She wondered briefly if her brother would be angry if he knew what the moon, his ex-girlfriend, did to her. Not only did it amplify a waterbender's power when full, it also had a rather maddening effect on the women.

And Katara blamed the feelings she has started having, and more importantly, the curious events which followed, fully on the moon.

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**Chapter 1: Moonstruck**

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The trouble all started when she got her moon time. It was two months after the comet had flown, the war had been won, and peace had been established. Katara, Aang, Toph, Suki, and Sokka were visiting the Northern Water Tribe to celebrate Kana and Pakku's wedding. The sky was dark as there was a new moon, and a troop of firebenders had sent explosives up into the sky that showered colors in the most beautiful fashion. Pakku's students bent water that had been dyed different colors, and everyone drank a great deal of sea prune and clam wine.

Katara had fallen into bed around the time that the sun had started to rise, and woken up later that day with a horrible hangover. Usually, she showed more discretion when drinking, of the opinion that it wasn't suitable for a fifteen year old. Unfortunately, Sokka had kept refilling her cup, and calling her an penguin chicken if she protested. Anyway, after the third glass, Katara had stopped protesting. It was likely that her brother's hangover was even worse than her own.

Rolling onto her side and sitting up was enough to make the room spin. Katara had to reach out and clutch the fur covered ice slab next to her bed where she usually left her mother's necklace before she slept. The room pitched forward, then back, then after she closed her eyes and breathed for several seconds, dropped back into place.

Not only was her head throbbing with every thump of her heart, her muscles had cramped as well. Gingerly, she placed a hand on her abdomen, wondering at the strange both dull and yet cutting pain that radiated outward, across the planes of her hand and into the cold of the arctic morning. The waterbender decided to visit Yugoda, to see if the healer could bend away some of the discomfort. she Katara had never had a hangover before, and she wasn't sure what was normal.

After an uncomfortable walk to the healer's house and a long wait for the woman to finish her class with the youngsters, Katara finally caught the older woman. The whole time she described her symptoms, Yugoda listened attentively with a twinkle in her eyes that suggested she knew exactly what was wrong. An ungloved hand pressed first to Katara's head, then her parka covered stomach was all the medicine woman needed for a diagnosis.

"Ah, so your body has finally caught up with you!" the old woman congratulated her. "You're becoming a woman. I was actually beginning to worry for about you; all that stress and running about in the warmer countries has turned you into a late bloomer. You're going to notice some interesting changes within your body."

"Yes, yes," Katara said irritably, "I grew up in a tribe full of women, I know what's going to happen. Spirits know they had little else to gossip about." Apparently, what Yugoda called 'stress and running about', Katara called 'saving the world'.

"No, you misunderstand me," the old woman scolded. "You're going to notice some interesting changes in your body, yes, but you are a waterbender as well, and the moon, the water, and womanhood have a very close connection. You will see, your body will react in its own way."

The irritability and discomfort of her combined afflictions had kept Katara in bed until her courses stopped. Much of the time she spent sleeping, or reading through her favorite scrolls, waiting for her body to adjust. Aang came to visit her often, though all she dared tell him was that she felt unwell with a cold. She wasn't sure he even knew about women and their cycles, in fact, it was very likely he did not, and she did not want to be the one to explain it to him.

Luckily, he didn't ask many questions, not because he wasn't concerned, but rather that he knew that she knew what she was doing. He knew her judgment was far better than his own in matters of her body. Instead of fretting, he fussed over her, bringing her hot tea when she wanted it and sitting at the foot of her bed telling her stories when she wanted company.

In the days that followed, Katara had not worried much about Yugoda's warnings until she had woken up at midnight on the day before the full moon with a feeling like her entire body was on fire. She could find no way to get comfortable, and took to pacing back and forth in her room. It felt like her skin wanted to crawl off her muscles, like there was something that kept tugging on her lower stomach. Finally she had to strip down to her tunic and pants, even in the arctic temperatures, and the cold air on her hot skin granted her some relief.

"What's wrong with you?" Suki had watched her boyfriend's sister with interest as she paced about their common room, picking up things and putting them down, and cleaning imaginary dust. Once the clothes started flying, the Kiyoshi warrior decided it was time to intervene. "Aren't you cold?" It had been so frigid some days that applying her makeup was impossible. The moisture in it froze on her skin and then flaked off as it melted.

"I just have a lot of – I don't know – pent up energy."

"Come on Katara, you have been distant since yesterday morning, we have all noticed." Suki grabbed the girl's light blue sleeve and pulled her down onto the pile of furs, wrapping her parka covered arms around her so she couldn't squirm away. "What's bothering you? Did Aang do something stupid? He seemed to be behaving himself last time I looked, but, I've been wrong before." She squeezed. "Come on, out with it!!"

"Maybe you should worry about your boyfriend first!" Katara grumbled, putting on a show of being angry. The cuddling seemed to be helping, even if it was with someone she wasn't attracted to. It seemed the mere closeness of other bodies offered her refuge.

Katara blushed and pressed her face into her gloved hands, laying back on the skins. Quickly she scanned the room for the boys, and Toph, then, finding it empty, decided to share. Suki was one of the most mature of her friends, and the oldest, if anyone had any advice, she would.

"Well, I'm really excited . . ."

"You mean about your new grandfather? We all are, and to think-"

"No," Katara cut her off, motioning for silence, "I'm really, you know, _excited_."

"What- OH!! Oh . . . Now?"

Katara nodded.

"Umm, well, that's perfectly normal, everyone feels that way sometimes." Suki stiffened, patted her on the shoulder briefly, and then leaned away. For a minute, things were awkward, then, Suki sighed and leaned back in, whispering with a wicked twinkle in her eye, "You do have a boyfriend, Katara, it doesn't have to be a problem. I could loan you some herbs."

"Really? Wait, I mean, _no!_ Well, I don't know, Aang ... he's just a kid." Katara stood, pacing across the room. Her legs had begun to prickle and itch, making her feel restless. She crossed the room and for the hundredth time, straightened the candles burning on the ledge.

"Do you want to do some drills? It'll be hard in the snow, in our mittens, but we can try."

"Don't bother," Katara winced and touched the back of her head. She had tried that earlier, finding a nice spot to practice near the barracks where the warriors trained. Unfortunately, she had picked a time very near to when the morning lessons ended, and before she had even finished her warm up, she had been engulfed by a horde of first year warriors, who didn't take kindly to women practicing on their play field, and decided the best way to shoo her off would be to start a 'friendly' snowball fight.

"Well," Suki teased, "You could always go visit Haru, we all know he-"

"Toph is a total liar!" Katara whirled around, barely resisting the urge to follow the children's lead and throw a snowball. "I didn't have a thing for him!"

"-had a thing for you," Suki finished, holding up her hands to shield her face, as though she knew what the waterbender was pondering. "He definitely isn't a 'kid', and I'm sure he'd love to do you a favor by helping you out."

"Very funny."

"I'm only kidding, Katara."

"Well, I'm not!" It was embarrassing enough having to admit her private feelings, it was humiliation to have them thrown back into her face as thought they were a big joke.

"Oh, you're _not_." Suki sobered, realizing she was out of line, "Sorry, Katara, I forget not all women come from Kiyoshi Island."

"Hm." Katara rolled her eyes to that, whatever _that _meant. She wasn't some sort of country peasant who didn't know anything about being a woman. Maybe she wasn't the best informed in the world, but she had been busy!

"Look," Suki put an arm around her shoulder and drew her close, practically whispering in her ear, "You don't _need_ a man, just, you know, take matters into your own hands."

"Thanks for your advice," Katara muttered, sulking as she grabbed her parka and fled the room.

...

As the night wore on though, crawling slowly into the early hours of the morning, Suki's foolish advice was starting to look more and more tempting. With every breath she could feel the moon pushing and pulling on her nerves as though she was part of the tide. There was only so much a girl could take.

_She is right, I have a boyfriend after all_, she rationalized, standing and pulling on her overcoat before stealing down the hallway. It wasn't like she planned to do anything to him. If laying next to Suki in the fur helped, laying next to Aang would hopefully let her sleep, and by the time the city rose, it would all seem like a bad dream. It took her only a few moments to reach Aang's room and let herself in. It was sparse, as the Avatar didn't have much need for worldly possessions. He was curled up on top of several woolen blankets and a tarp, with many more drawn up over him. He shunned the traditional furs that everyone else slept among, and Katara had not pressed him. She had a feeling he used firebending to keep himself warm.

She stole over to the bed, and she reached down to shake one of the more prominent lumps in the blanket. "Aang, wake up and shove over!" she ordered, pulling her coat off and adding it to the top of the pile protecting them. Momo, who had been invisible in the darkness, chattered at the sudden weight dropped on him and scrambled off the bed, looking for a place to hide.

"Hi Katara!" Aang smiled, then frowned, "Is there something wrong? What time is it? What are you doing here?"

"Nothing's wrong Aang, I'm just cold, now shove over!" Luckily, he moved without further inquisition, and she climbed into the bed, wrapping her arms around his smaller frame, and propped herself up on her elbows over him.

"So, why are you here?" he tried again, now that her immediate need for warmth had been filled.

For answer, Katara leaned down and pressed her lips to his. Aang submitted to the kiss for several long moments, even opening his mouth to her, but when Katara began running her hand down his side, he caught it and moved them back to his shoulder.

"Katara what are you doing?" He looked at her anxiously, scooting an inch out from under her.

"What do you mean, what am I doing?" She stared at him through the hazy darkness, trying to figure out if the question was literal or rhetorical. Could he really not know what came after kissing? He must know a little right? Sokka must have pulled him aside and talked to him about it, right?

"I . . ." Aang blushed and looked around the room, his mouth opening and closing helplessly.

"Aang, I want, I mean, we, as in, you and I, er..." She trailed off, looking into his face and seeing a nervous thirteen year old, and she immediately felt guilty. What kind of pervert was she, sneaking into a child monk's room in the middle of the night for a few stolen caresses? She knew better. "...I mean, we should cuddle a little bit or something, I couldn't sleep,"

"Oh." Aang looked relieved, and excited, and cuddled up under her chin, a big goofy grin on his lips, "Alright then." Cuddling he understood. He cuddled with Appa all the time. Katara put her arm around the boy. He felt small in her arms, having only recently started puberty, and although his voice cracked now and then, he had not hit his growth spurt yet. On the other hand, Katara had been growing the past few months, and those few inches she had on Aang had doubled, not to mention that her chest and hips had filled out nicely, though they were nowhere near finished.

It was making it hard to find him attractive, she realized. She loved him, she truly did, but sometimes she felt like she wasn't in love with him. He didn't do to her body what Jet had, and it frustrated her. He had been a great friend to her for the year and a half they had known each other, and she _wanted_ to feel chemistry with him. She wanted the thought of him to make her body throb instead of a fluke of the moon triggering it in her and forcing her to his room. Sighing softly, she put her head down on the pillow. Having another body in her bed was a little help, and she relaxed as sleep finally found her, but her frustration was quickly turning to anger.

...

That morning, when the Gang had gathered together in the common rooms, they planned to figure out their next steps. Toph had sprawled herself out onto one of the larger seats, her feet resting where a person's head traditionally went. Sokka sat across from her, Suki leaning against him, one gloved hand resting on his thigh. Although she tried not to, Katara couldn't help but steal glances at them, feeling jealous. She had no cause to be, they were diplomatic with their affections in public, so as not to make anyone, uncomfortable. It was probably mostly for Toph's benefit, who everyone knew was still nursing a crush on Sokka.

Aang, who was seated next to her, kept glancing at her then following her gaze to her brother and his girlfriend. He nudged her softly with his elbow, then when she looked at him, raised his eyebrows in a question. Katara shook her head and looked away, now was not the time or place to discuss the things their relationship lacked.

"I'm going back to Omashu!" declared Toph, petting Momo where he curled up on her stomach, "King Bumi wanted to try to learn the metalbending technique from me, and he offered to teach me facial bending."

"The Northern Water Tribe is sending a few ships of waterbenders to the South Pole to help rebuild," Sokka announced. "Suki 'n me were going to ride with them as far as Kiyoshi Island and stay there for a little while until she picks a new head of the Kiyoshi Warriors, to take over for a few months, then we're going to follow them, and help with the rebuilding." Sokka gave a shrug, as though he didn't really want to be back at the South Pole. "You could ride with us and we'll make a stop on the way in Omashu."

"Ride in a boat? That sounds slightly more awful than riding on Appa. You should come, Twinkle Toes. He said Jeong Jeong, that crazy firebender guy from the White Lotus, is staying with him for now. You could finish mastering earth and fire since Sparky is too busy to teach you anymore."

"Are you saying that because you want me to come or because you get seasick?" Aang asked, smiling. Then, it was Katara's turn to nudge him, Toph probably didn't want to ride with Sokka. She knew that it was an exercise in futility keeping up hope for him.

"It can be both," Toph told him defensively.

Suki smiled, "I think after all this excitement, Hakoda wants to retire early and make you chief, Sokka" she teased, leaning in and rubbing noses.

"What about you, Katara?" Aang asked. "You're going to come with me to Omashu, right?"

Katara shook her head, pulling a hand written letter from her pack and unfolding it on the table for all capable of seeing to read. "The Earth King requested that a group of water benders go to Ba Sing Se. He wants to formalize some treaties and he said something about draining Lake Laogai and flooding the prisons beneath. Chief Arnook requested I go with them to represent the Southern Water Tribe."

"Why didn't he ask me?!" Sokka asked, affronted, then suddenly added, "Wait, never mind." Arnook had not taken to Suki, none of the Tribesmen had. The chief however, was especially offended, perhaps because he felt Sokka should mourn his daughter longer.

Aang looked torn. "Maybe I should go to Ba Sing Se too," he mused. He looked up at her, and saw she was once again sneaking a look at Suki and Sokka. He frowned, trying to figure out what was so interesting, she seemed to be looking at Suki's hand, so, Aang tentatively raised his own and placed it on her knee. The gesture made her jump several inches in the air, as though she had forgotten he was sitting next to her.

"I don't think you have to." Sokka grinned and gave Aang a friendly slap on his back. "Katara knows what she's doing. She can handle a few stuffy council meetings and such, she's done it before."

Aang looked doubtful, but before he could protest further Toph cut in, "Besides, these three get a ship to chauffer them. You need to loan me Appa."

"You can borrow him," Aang said absently. He was too engrossed in the horror of spending several long weeks without Katara, even if she had been acting oddly lately.

"Umm, hello?" Toph waved her hand in front of her own sightless eyes, "I can't steer him, I don't know the way to Omashu unless I'm in the Earth Kingdom with my feet on the ground!"

"Alright, alright!" Aang caved. "You, me, Appa and Momo will go to Omashu!"

...

Aang and Toph left that afternoon, as Toph was eager to get back to her homeland. Suki, Sokka and Katara stayed for a few more days, waiting for their respective ships to organize, and to help Kana and Pakku pack. Food needed to be inventoried, weight calculated, staff hired, and equipment mended on board. On land, Pakku had to pack up his few belongings from the barracks and, with the help of several of his students, supposedly volunteers, haul everything down to the harbor.

Even with the commotion, in what felt like no time at all, Katara found herself on the high Seas with Chief Arnook and twenty men, half warriors and half benders. She spent most of her time on the stern, bending the water to make the ship move faster on its course to Chameleon Bay.

"Oi Katara, won't you give us a lesson?" one of the sailors called teasingly, they had gotten more and more bold as the days wore on. It was easy to see how the snowball wielding youngsters could mature into such bawdy teenagers. They seemed to care little for her rank and accomplishments, unable to see past her gender.

"Hajar! You're not even a waterbender!" another scolded the first; they were both on their knees scrubbing the floor of the deck.

"I never said a lesson in bending," the first retorted in a way that made the other dissolve into chuckles. He muttered something else, too quiet for her to hear, and another round of sniggering soon followed. Katara felt her cheeks flush, and she dropped her stance and turned her back on the men. Somehow, this seemed only to rile them further.

"I got something that needs a good bending!" another laughed, walking over with a fresh bucket of rain water. He was the heaviest of the bunch, and the brashest.

"Caubvic, she is a Master Bender, you have to talk to her on your hands and knees like we are," the first one informed the newcomer.

"Right! Apologies, Master Bender, I have been a bad cabin boy! Please, give me a severe tongue lashing!" The last dropped to his knees with the other two, making a big show of being embarrassed.

Katara rolled her eyes; more and more men of the Water Tribes had been flirting with her lately, if it could even be called flirting. It was more like a never ending stream of catcalls, probably because she was the only woman on board the ship.

"You made her angry! She'll use the water whip on us for sure, I-"

"Back to your work, men!" Arnook barked, suddenly emerging from below deck. The boys wasted no time in finding dirt on the deck to scrub, and, they did not look up again. "They're just teasing you because you're old enough to marry. Boys will be boys."

He didn't seem annoyed that their behavior was offending her, but rather that it was keeping them from their chores. Katara pressed her lips together, unsure of why the father of a daughter was so oblivious to his own sexism, but, she brushed it aside. Like he said, boys would be boys.

"I won't be sixteen for several months."

Arnook shrugged, "Eh, sixteen is a guideline, you're on the market, just not up for anything official. So, are you planning to marry that young Avatar? Everyone knows that you two are quite fond of each other."

That stopped Katara short.

_Would I marry Aang?_ she thought. _He's a kid, he is way too young to get married._

"I don't know," she said, frowning. "No. At least, not for a long time."

"Really? Hakoda has mentioned that he hopes you do, he seems pretty convinced you will." Arnook suddenly became interested, and Katara had the feeling he was running down a list of names in his head of all the young men he could betroth her to up north to forge a strong relationship between the sister tribes.

Katara looked out over the water, "Well," she said a few moments later, "after all that has happened, I don't think I would be happy just settling down and having kids right away." As soon as the words were out of her mouth she realized that they were true. When Aunt Wu had told her her fortune, she had been excited by the prospect of having kids and a family, but now that she had seen and done so much, she wasn't sure anymore. Things were no longer simple.

"Well, if you do end up on the market, I know some very well bred warriors that would pay a hefty bride price for you." So he had been laying plans out. It was a little unnerving he was so nonchalant about it.

"Thank you, Chief Arnook, I will keep that in mind," Katara replied curtly. She had never really got used to the gender roles in the north. Arnook had a very specific idea of what was politically correct for Katara to do, and choosing her own husband was not necessarily one of them.

...

Zuko was listening carefully to the testimony of one of his father's generals who was rumored to have wiped out several Earth Kingdom towns on a mad rampage because someone had stolen his favorite komodo rhino. The man had pleaded his case and was escorted out with several guards, and Zuko and Mai sat alone together. He was carefully rereading the testimony of a witness when he felt a soft jab in his ribs. Normally, it wouldn't have bothered him, but with his still healing chest, it felt like a kick from a soldier, and made him grunt and drop his papers. One scroll unraveled and fled away across the floor, the lower half and rod disappearing into the dais fire where it was instantly consumed.

"When is this going to be over?" Mai complained to him, staring at the ceiling, her usual expression of disinterest playing across her features.

"Mai, I'm trying to read the witness reports!" he hissed back, hoping the roar of the fire along the dais covered his voice. He doubted it, the acoustics of the room made even the slightest whisper ring in everyone's ears like a shout.

"We all know he did it. Just throw him in the dungeon for fifty years, problem solved." Mai stood up, stretching her legs, which had cramped from kneeling for an extended period of time. It had felt like weeks since she and Zuko had actually spent time together in a setting that didn't qualify as 'work', and she was anxious to get out. Zuko stood up as well and pressed a hand into the small of her back, guiding her off the dais and into the shadow of one of the columns. Mai resisted just enough to remind him that she was stronger than him and that she was only letting him do it because she felt like it. The scar was still healing and since it was dead in the center of his chest, he had been unable to keep up his firebending during the time it took to heal, and had lost much of his former strength.

"Mai! You can't just sentence someone to imprisonment! Even if he is a murderer!" Zuko glanced at the guards posted at intervals along his throne room. "We have to present a united front. Many of the governors are still loyal to my father, and I need their support."

"I don't see why I even have to be here. It's so boring, and you never ask for my help!" Although she had never particularly liked it when Zuko lavished his awkward affections on her, now, she was finding she rather missed them. More than that though, she felt like an ornament in his public life. He didn't give her the responsibilities of a Fire Lady or the attention of a sweetheart, and it hurt. She felt – what was the word that the earthbender girl would use? Shafted. She felt shafted.

"Well," Zuko pinched his nose in frustration, "I thought as my girlfriend, you would be interested in my life and what I do as Fire Lord! I thought you wanted to be with me no matter what I was doing!" Mai wasn't happy, but she would never outright tell him what the problem was. She was too well trained by her aristocratic mother. All she did was sit quietly in public, then withdraw in private.

"That's not true." Mai turned her back to him to gaze at one of the tapestries on the wall, her voice never showing any emotion. Zuko didn't say anything, he waited for her to counter, but, she said nothing.

"Mai, what is making you unhappy?! How can I fix it if you never show or tell me how you feel! Please? Give me _something_ to go on!" He knew that relationships with partners that couldn't communicate with one another always failed, and it stung. He knew that opening up didn't come easy for Mai, that it was so ingrained in her to be a proper lady and do as she was told, but he felt that if she didn't explain herself to him soon, he would go mad from guessing.

She gave her standard answer: "Nothing."

"Look, I'm sorry you've been bored, but as my girlfriend and as the future Fire Lady you have certain obligations." He placed a hand on her cheek, trying to convey how serious he was about her. He wanted to let her know he had every intention of marrying her. Apparently it was the wrong thing to say, as usual.

"All you ever care about is your people!" she said, then bowed her head. _I'm your equal_, she wanted to scream, _I know as much as you! In the time you were banished and wandering I studied economics, protocol, law, honor, and society!_ Unfortunately, her mother's reproving voice in her head was stronger. "May I be dismissed now, Fire Lord?"

They had not even fought, and yet, she felt defeated.

...

"Spirits damn you, Father!" Zuko yelled, kicking the curved steel toe of his boot into the bars of the cell. "Where is she?"

"Bring me silk pillows and a concubine, Prince Zuko, and then perhaps I'll tell you." Ozai grinned, stroking his long beard. It had grown longer and more patchy as time wore on. Incarcerated as he was, he had relaxed his personal hygiene regimen.

"It's Fire Lord Zuko, and the last concubine I brought you, you almost strangled." Zuko seethed, his patience running thin. First he had tried giving Ozai everything he asked for, then nothing at all. He supposed it was technically possible to torture his father for the information, but, he knew he could not issue such an order. It would make him into something dark and twisted like his sister.

"Fetch me a roasted chicken pig with glazed potato roots," the broken man demanded from where he reclined on the floor. "I've had nothing to eat but bread and water for days."

"No!" Zuko crossed his arms. "Now tell me where my mother is."

"I summon my daughter, where is she? Fetch my daughter, Prince Zuko. She is the one child of mine who still walks with honor; we have both scarred the unworthy Prince."

"Again Father, It's Fire Lord Zuko, and Azula didn't _mean_ to scar me." The young man dropped to a crouch to be on level with his father, "She was trying to hit something that would cause me much, much more pain than simply my heart."

"What was that?" Ozai looked up, interested, "How did it happen?" The gleam of interest in his gold eyes betrayed him. It was the in Zuko had been waiting for.

"Tell me where my mother is and I will tell you about our Agni Kai!" he bargained.

"More pain than your mere heart? Did she try to geld you?" Ozai laughed cruelly at the idea. Zuko was somewhat less amused at the possibility of losing one of his favorite appendages.

"Shut up!" Zuko knew his threats were empty, "I'll have you flogged for insolence."

"Why _don't_ you have me beaten? Would you like that? To see your father chained and whipped? Make you feel more like a man? Pathetic little boy!" Ozai leaned in close, nose to nose with his son. Had he been able to bend, Zuko knew his father would have decapitated him then and there with a breath of fire.

"Very well then, have it your way." he turned and stalked out, not giving his father the satisfaction of taunting him more. The wretch of a man knew that as long as he knew where his mother was, he had the upper hand, and the Zuko wouldn't hurt him. The Fire Lord paused at the doorway as he always did and looked back. Ozai had already turned his back to his son and faced the wall.

It took several minutes for the young man to escape the confines of the Prison. He didn't like keeping his father so close, but, had decided it was better for him to be near, where he could keep an eye on him, than at the Boiling Rock far from the palace. At least, not until the reports of rebel factions died away.

He slipped into the veiled carriage waiting, a guard and his steward already seated. Immediately, his steward began reading him a letter of complaint from the governor of the North Peninsula territory while the guard remained alert, hand on his sword. The Governer seemed to be displeased with the influx of retired soldiers settling in his area and demanded more funds from the treasury. Zuko had received four other nearly identical letters from the Western Archipelago's governor, the Southern Peninsula's governess, the Eastern Coast's governor, and the Earth Kingdom ambassador. Opportunists, all of them.

Zuko held up his hand for silence. "When we arrive at the castle, tell the engineers to ready an air balloon. I am going to visit my uncle."

"Are you sure that's wise?" his steward, Malu questioned. He would never contradict the Fire Lord directly, but would give him ample opportunity to change his mind. "We still have to set a new budget for the Army, Navy, and Special factions, not to mention that you wanted to begin hearing cases from the prisoners from the Boiling Rock so you could sort out the menaces to society from those who opposed your father."

Zuko sat silently for a long time, most of the way back to the city grounds, warring with himself. His desperation for family, however, won out in the end. Most of his work was tedious paper pushing and budget meetings, things that would be argued about for weeks before a resolution was reached.

Somehow, things always felt more productive when he was a child and his father was on the throne.

...

"Very good, Chief Arnook, and what of the Southern Tribe, Katara?"

"Well," Katara said, "fewer than a hundred men survived the war, and there are only a handful of women and children. So far we have had twelve elderly refugees, all benders, trickle in from the Fire Nation prisons, but still not enough of a population to begin exporting goods and establishing trade routes."

"We are hoping some of my tribe from the north might move to the sister city in the south as well." Arnook added. It was true that many were interested. Pakku had moved there, and, those of his pupils who were dedicated benders planned to follow him.

The king mused it over. "Very well, as a thank you for your help restoring my throne, I will personally finance a vessel to bring goods monthly to the South Pole for one year. After that, we will reconvene and decide what our next move should be. What are your village's greatest necessities?"

Katara sat back and thought about it, it had been a long time. "Wood, medicines, thread, vegetables if they'll last in the cold, I could make you a list," she offered.

"Make sure to include estimates of quantities," the King said. "We'll reconvene tomorrow morning at tenth hour, shall we say?"

"That's fine," Arnook said, and Katara nodded in agreement.

Humming to herself softly, Katara walked along the cobblestones of the Upper Ring towards the Jasmine Dragon. She had a pen, paper, and a bottle of ink in her satchel, and used her free hand to tug her skirts up off the ground. If she had known it would be this muddy, she would have changed into her more comfortable traveling clothes. It took her about half an hour to make the trip from the palace to the shop in the ridiculously ornate slippers with high wooden soles, and by the time she reached it, the sun was high and she was hot and sweating.

"Katara! Welcome!" Iroh called from where he was sweeping the stairs, "I heard tales that a beautiful Water Tribe woman had washed ashore, I should have known instantly it was you. Come in, come in, I have a new creation brewing, and I would love for you to try it for me!"

Katara grinned, "Really? I'd love to, Iroh!" she walked up the steps and peered inside, "Not as busy as it usually is," she remarked at the empty chairs. One pair of older men played pai sho in the corner, while a third man scrawled onto a parchment

"Ah well, it is a bit hot today for tea, I'm sure when it cools off in the evening, I will get more company," Iroh said in his usual cheerful tone, "Now come in!" He showed her in and pulled out a chair for her in a cool corner of the shop. The breeze came in through the east facing window, bringing with it the smell of flowers from the garden.

"I'm sad to see my favorite scarred waiter isn't here today," Katara joked as Iroh brought her a napkin, mug, and sweets.

"Ah yes, he is busy at his new job. I have been thinking of hiring a replacement." When she reached for her purse, he waved her off, turning serious, "You cannot be serious, after all you have done for my nephew?"

After that, disappeared for several minutes, then returned with a steaming pot. Gingerly, he poured the liquid into her mug, and as he prepared the drink, he told her about it. "I got this beautiful recipe from a wonderful lady in the southwest. I had to wade through the Foggy Swamp to get a lot of the ingredients- oh! Don't worry, it does not taste like swamp water."

"What is it called?"

"I have not named it yet, perhaps as my tester, you would do me the honor of selecting one?" Iroh poured again, this time into his own cup.

Taking a tentative sip, Katara let the flavors settle on her tongue. "It's good, I might want a dash of honey in mine . . . ."

"I'm glad you like it, it's a fine mix of herbs..."

Katara took another sip.

"...mostly rumored aphrodisiacs."

Katara suddenly succumbed to a coughing fit, and she felt Iroh pull the mug from her fingers so she wouldn't scald herself with the liquid it contained. He patted her gently on the back, waiting for her to catch her breath.

"I wanted something romantic that one could order on a date. Don't worry!" Iroh smiled reassuringly, "you haven't drunk enough of it to feel any effects! I just wanted a taste test."

"Well, it's not _just_ that," Katara started, then thought better of it. Whatever weird fluctuations of desire she felt were due to the moon, her courses, and her bending. To think one sip of tea would defeat her was silly.

"Very well, you think of a name, do your writing, and I will bring you another pot of tea. What would you like?"

"Ginseng, please," Katara ordered as she unfolded her paper and opened her bottle.

"Ah! My favorite!!"  
**...**

...  
Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I never thought that this story would become as popular as it has. 

**Leave me Love!!**


	2. Chapter 2:The Trouble with Tea Shops

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** burning--ice

**Chapter Rating**: PG-13

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

**Pairing:** Zutara

**Beta: **MusicIsLove92, Sword-on-Fire

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

...

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**Chapter 2: The Trouble With Tea Shops**

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Zuko sat on the helm of the air balloon, the rushing wind helping to clear his head. All around him servants rushed to maintain the ship, transport coal, mend rigging, yet, he felt alone. He hoped he could convince his uncle to help him question his father. It was his last ditch effort. Nothing else had worked. He had given in to demands, withheld food and water, threatened, bribed, and interrogated the man until they were both exhausted, but to no avail. Ozai's bending may have been broken, but his will was as resilient as ever.

Zuko had sent letter upon letter to his uncle, asking, begging, demanding, but, all Iroh ever wrote back was although he didn't know her exact location, he had faith that Ursa was well, safe, and among _her_ friends. Also, it was indicated that she would make herself known to him when she felt the time was right, and not a moment before. Unfortunately, that wasn't good enough for Zuko.

Despite Iroh's reassurance, he was starting to worry.

He had made it known far and wide that he was the new Fire Lord, and he would love an audience with his mother – if she would present herself – but she never had, and as the months wore on, he was starting to lose hope. She must have heard by then through word of mouth that he missed her and wanted her to come home. If she hadn't come, it could very well mean she was dead. It had been years since his father last saw her, after all.

Leaning out with his elbows on the railing, Zuko could see Ba Sing Se resting on the horizon, a hazy fog of smoke, and he estimated he would reach the outer wall by sunset. It had been a few months since the comet and the devastation his father had wrought, and Zuko was pleased to see that the burned out patches of the earth kingdom were starting to tint green, but it would take nearly a century for the forests to grow back into their former glory. The ashen patches were splotchy with new growth moss and scraggly, pathetic looking grasses.

Standing back, he massaged his chest absently, loosening his muscles. He had found that without daily stretching, they tended to constrict and made moving difficult, especially if he swung his arms suddenly. The Fire Nation surgeons had told him it was a miracle he'd survived, that the muscle damage to his chest was much greater than just the scarred area, and that he had probably gone into cardiac arrest. That his body and that of the healer were so pumped full of adrenaline that he managed to hold on, and she managed to pull him through.

He remembered jumping in front of the blast. For a moment it had been unbelievably painful, and then he felt nothing. No pain at all, just the sudden panic that he was leaving Katara all alone with Azula. He remembered snippets of the fight, remembered them jumping through his plane of vision several times, Azula belching fire like the fearsome demon she was, and Katara barely managing to scramble out of the comet-enhanced princess' way.

"Katara . . ." Zuko sighed out her name; these days he couldn't move his chest without thinking about her. She weighed as heavily on his mind as his father had the months after he had scarred Zuko's face. At first he had been angry, at Azula for throwing the bolt, then Katara for freezing in panic, then himself for being such a damn martyr, but after several weeks of sulking, he had realized that he would do it again in a heartbeat, and the acceptance of the fact made his bitterness evaporate.

He was ready to die to save any one of his friends.

…

…

"Come on, Twinkle Toes! It's not _that_ difficult!" Toph yelled, stamping her foot. "Do three more sets of ten, and get it right this time or I'll put weights on your back! How's that for incentive?"

Aang winced. His muscles were already on fire, but he knew better than to disobey Toph once she started barking orders at him. He bit his lip and repeated the move, causing the boulder to shudder for a moment, then shatter into hundreds of sharpened rock slivers that flew at Aang's target.

"I thought I told you to split it into five hundred pieces! I only felt four hundred and twenty three hit the mark! If you're going to do a move as complicated as The Porcupine's Arithmetic, then you damn well better do it right!" Toph crossed her arms, glaring sightlessly, yet directly at Aang's nose. "Twenty nine more times, Twinkle Toes."

The tiny earthbender had taken up giving her self-taught earthbending moves long, unusual, and complicated names that for the most part had little to do with the actual move. A habit, Aang thought wryly, that she had appropriated from his Sifu Hotman and the flowing names he gave his forms.

"And how many pieces do you want me to split it into?" Aang asked, wiping his forehead, trying to distract and stall her.

"Five hundred this time, and I want half of them to hit here... Don't look at me like that! You're making a face, I can sense it!" She stomped her foot and bent another circular target into the ground, several feet from her first.

…

…

"How is your work coming along?" Iroh asked Katara, setting another cup of tea in front of her. "I haven't seen you write anything else for nearly an hour."

"I'm just, ah, enjoying the moonrise." Katara said, forcing a grin as she bent the ink out of her brush and put it down.

Iroh peered out the window, "You can see the moon from here?"

"No."

"I got word that my nephew landed at the castle a few minutes ago. The courier said that he is paying me a visit." Iroh beamed proudly and patted his now lean stomach. "It's so nice of him to make time in his busy schedule to come visit his old uncle, however unannounced the visit might be."

Katara stood, brushing the wrinkles out of her dress. "Do you want me to watch the shop for you when he gets here?"

"Your help would be gratefully accepted and much appreciated." Iroh responded in his usual flattering tenor, and took off his apron. "Though, today has been quiet, I don't expect much activity."

Katara discreetly peeked out of the kitchen, gazing intently at the two figures hunched in the corner. Other than a small nod and a smaller smile, Zuko had yet to acknowledge her existence, and if it wasn't for the way he kept glancing at her, she would have worried he didn't recognize her for some reason. She didn't fault him, though. He was obviously worked up; he had grabbed his uncle and pulled him into the corner without even a hello to the older man. They had stayed there all the way to closing time in the evening, and as she brought out tea to lone customers and tallied checks, she caught snatches of their hushed conversation. They were talking about Ozai and Ursa, but she couldn't hear any of the details.

The last group of customers of the night was standing to leave, and Katara picked up a tray and headed out onto the floor to bus the table.

"Did you enjoy everything?" Katara asked them, smiling and politely bowing her head a little. She really didn't care though, she was more interested in finding out why the Fire Lord had made an impromptu flight across the world to see his uncle. Before they were out the door, Katara began stacking their mugs and saucers onto her tray, then used her rag to wipe the table down. As she worked, she held her breath and strained to hear what Zuko was whispering.

" . . . I can't just hold her hostage over him! She is still my sister."

"I am sorry, nephew, but she is his only weakness, and Ursa is hers. Use that to your advantage."

"I don't want to use my father's love of his daughter to break him! That's not honorable!"

"No, it's not. Very well then, perhaps try asking him questions about her, and about their marriage, and your childhood. He may accidentally reveal more than he means to if you can get him talking."

At that point Katara picked up her loaded tray and walked back into the kitchen. Zuko was trying to question his father about his mother, but the questioning, it seemed, was getting more and more desperate. Bending the soapy water in one of the buckets, she began washing out the mugs that she had cleared. In her stupor of scrubbing and rinsing, she didn't hear footsteps behind her, and she jumped when she felt a hand on her elbow.

"Hey Katara, it's been a while, Uncle sent me back here to tell you to stop cleaning already." Zuko smiled down at her. He had a dark circle beginning to show under his good eye, and he looked weary and depressed. She hadn't seen him since they had celebrated the end of the war together at the tea shop, and instantly decided that that was far, _far_ too long.

"Zuko! It's so nice to see you again finally! It's been a while! I missed you!" She stood and threw her arms around him in a tight hug. Zuko's hands flew to her shoulders and gripped hard, but not out of affection. Katara suddenly found herself supporting most of the scarred Lord's weight as he grunted, doubling over in pain.

"Maybe try not to miss me quite so much!" he gasped, trying to make space between her chest and his. "Sorry, I'm still sore, not so rough, alright?"

"Is it your chest? Let me see it, take off your shirt." Katara helped him over to a bench.

"I'm here two minutes and the first thing you tell me to do is take off my shirt?" Zuko jokingly complained. He did oblige, however, unbuckling his belt.

Katara put her hands on her hips, all business. "Nonsense, you have been here for hours!"

"You never were one to joke around," Zuko muttered, gingerly untying his robe.

Katara shoved his hands away from the laces and undid them herself. "This isn't a joke, Zuko, it's your health!" She pushed on his shoulder, forcing him to lie back down onto the bench.

"Zuko? Katara? I have locked up the store front so-" Iroh stepped in and stopped short, then broke into a huge grin. "Am I interrupting?" Katara cringed, she loved the old man to death, but he was a bit of a gossip, and a lady killer in his own right. By that time tomorrow, the whole block would know about his nephew's intimate relationship with his pretty young healer friend.

"No!" Zuko sat up quickly and then winced and clutched his scar, "Katara just wanted to look at my chest."

Iroh chuckled.

Katara blushed.

"I mean . . . medically!" Zuko stammered, balling his hands into fists as he began to comprehend the double meaning.

Iroh waved his hands dismissively. "Well, I have locked up the shop front, so Katara, when you are done with my nephew and want to walk back to the castle, please go out the back door, and Zuko, it would be polite to walk her-" Katara crossed her arms. "Not that I think you need any protection," Iroh finished hurriedly. "Just that it would be the polite thing to do. Do not forget your manifest draft, Katara, and please, both of you help yourselves to any tea you would like, and Katara, thank you for your help. I wish you would consider staying on and working here. With a waterbender, I could serve iced teas for the summer . . . ."

Katara thanked him, saying she would think about it, and they both watched as the older man stretched, yawned, and walked up the stairs to his apartment above the shop.

"So you have had this for a little over two months now." Katara tried to push him onto his back again, but Zuko resisted.

"The surgeons told me the soreness and stiffness will fade away with time . . . lots of time."

"I'm getting some water, you better by lying down, shirtless, when I get back." Katara walked into Iroh's pantry, running her hands along the barrels of tea that were cold brewing until she found one with plain water in it, and bent a sufficient amount from it. Honestly, Zuko would have to get used to people poking and prodding and stripping him. Salves and bandages should have been applied, and a regular stretching adhered to. She had a feeling, however, that the Fire Lord had so much on his agenda, that his personal health had fallen by the wayside.

Her patient was lying on his back, without his shirt, like she had requested, staring crossly at the ceiling. Without a word, Katara bent over him and began her work. Zuko couldn't really remember the last time she had used her healing water on him, the nerves of his chest had been damaged so bad he couldn't feel a thing of his burn. She had fixed those somehow, because both his blood vessels and nerves had been in working order when he had woken up after a long rest.

This time, he was fully conscious, and he swallowed hard, covering a yelp.

_Why __didn't__ Aang __mention__ just how intimate this is?!_ Zuko thought, cursing the monk mentally. He could feel her moving things inside him, he felt her nudging his muscles and prodding at his organs. Her water seeped into his chest cavity, somehow moving through the cells of his muscles and bones, and into his aura. Suddenly, it was like they were attached to each other by invisible nerves. It was more intimate than sex. He could feel her heart beat, her blood pump, her inhale and her exhale; he could see himself, he was leaning over himself. He tasted her tongue in his mouth, smelled his scent in her nose, he felt her panic rise in his throat, he could feel the moon tugging on his – her – womb.

Katara yanked her hands back, dropping the water onto him. "What did you just do?!"

"I didn't do anything!" Zuko argued back, sputtering at the unexpected drenching. "What did _you_ just do?!"

"That's never happened before!" Her cheeks were flushing, and Zuko's mimicked it, his body still tuned to hers, though the effects were fading.

"It's never happened before?!" He parroted back, feeling her indignance . . . or was it his?

"ZUKO!" Katara hissed, backing up a step and clutching the fabric of the front of her dress that covered her pelvis.

Zuko looked down, and realized he had hardened, and she was probably feeling it just like he had felt her. He hadn't been remotely turned on, but somehow, while the connection was open, he felt her aimless hunger as if it was his own, the way the moon tugged on her and him by extension, and his body rose to meet it.

"Alright, alright!" Zuko panicked and scrambled up, facing the wall and dripping all over the wood floor. His chest screamed in protest, and he had to lean against the wall to keep on his feet. "You're you, I'm me, so let's just – breathe for a few minutes!"

Katara didn't say anything back, but he could faintly feel her anger at herself for reacting so immaturely. Then the feeling slipped away, and there was only him in his head and skin. After a few minutes, Zuko checked, discreetly, to make sure he was back to normal, and turned around to face her again. She had pulled her hair out of its restraints and was rubbing her temples, her cheeks still slightly pink.

"I'm sorry, I'm usually more professional than that." Katara smoothed her dress, still facing away.

"So . . . . It's never happened before?" he repeated.

"Well, I can always feel a little bit of a person, but never like that . . ." Katara reached up and touched the left side of her face, remembering the feel of the scar on her cheek, and how it had made moving her brow difficult.

Zuko suddenly had an idea. "Try it again."

"What?!" Katara took a step back.

"Try it again!" He sat down on the bench and lay back again, gingerly, "Do it again and see if you can pick up any . . . I don't know, memories, or information or something, something out of my head that maybe I, for some reason, wouldn't want to tell you."

"This is about Ozai!" Katara made the connection, keeping her voice down so as not to wake Iroh. "You want to know if I can find out where your mom is, well you can forget it! I don't want to do that again ever! Especially with your father!"

"Katara, I'm sorry, it just happens sometimes when guys are nervous, okay? I mean, I could feel your … I could feel the moon pulling my – your – Why didn't you ever mention that the moon does that to you?"

"You know, it's not exactly the kind of thing one broadcasts, and it's not all the time, just when its full or it's a first quarter or when it's a waning crescent!" Katara counted them off on her fingers.

"It's a waning crescent today, is that why your healing powers are so strong?" Zuko looked up at her from where he lay on his back.

Katara clasped her hands to her head and shook it. "Just forget it, Zuko! I am not interrogating your father. I'm not an interrogator, and I don't want to go anywhere near Ozai."

"Katara, please, I don't like playing this card, but you owe me a favor."

Katara pressed her lips together, not saying anything for some time, "I'll try to help you with your chest again tonight, but as far as questioning your father, I'll have to sleep on it."

She stepped over him again and bent the water off the floor and out of his clothes. Cautiously this time, she began, her water shining very faintly. After a moments, Zuko tossed his head, even this small movement sent ripples of pain down his torso.

"Go on already. What are you waiting for?"

Katara frowned, but her water suddenly began glowing full force, and sunk into his chest. Once again he felt the foreign sensations, his fingertips pressed into his chest, his hair loops tickled his nose. His body felt hot, he felt her arousal from the moon phase, he felt her embarrassment, and her fear. Her mouth was dry and her palms were sweating, and he swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat.

"You took a shot of lightening right on your chest, its messed up the energy in heart chakra. It's heavily over stimulated." She moved her hands to one pectoral, "When it becomes over stimulated the person becomes possessive, demanding, moody, controlling, and stubborn." She paused, her feelings hurt by her harsh words.

"I'm sure Mai would agree."

She leaned over and pressed two of her fingertips into his pectoral, and then pressed. After a few moments of her touch, his muscle spasmed, twitching wildly before relaxing completely. Katara reached up and rubbed her own breast, trying to massage out the twitch that wasn't there before remembering the sensations were his.

Concentrating, she reached down again and touched his other pec. Katara bit her lip hard and Zuko yelped, surprised at the sudden pain in his mouth.

"I think with several sessions I can get your chest back in working order, though you'll probably have to do some physical therapy to build your muscles back up. You've lost a lot of strength."

Zuko inhaled, feeling a little embarrassed. Katara began examining his chi. Due to the scar and his anxiety, it was not flowing properly through his chakra, and she closed her eyes and reached out, opening herself up to it, and the moment she brushed it, Zuko's consciousness flooded her.

In her mind's eyes she saw his memories of receiving the wound, the fear of his insane sister, the horror he felt when he saw where she had directed the lightening, his love for her sending his feet in motion before his mind could make a conscious decision, the terror he felt that he wouldn't make it in time. She screamed soundlessly and she felt the white hot lightening slam into her chest, the spots dance in front of her eyes, the pain, and then the fluttering of her heart as it beat erratically in her chest . . . threatening to stop . . .

"Katara!" She was shaking someone . . . . someone was shaking her. "Katara!!"

She opened her eyes and realized she was on the floor on her back, she tried to sit up, but the room spun, her stomach lurched, and she whined and lay back.

"Katara, you just fainted." Zuko looked concerned, kneeling over her, then added sheepishly, "We both did, but I think you bumped your head on the way down."

"I'm okay. Could you please get me something to drink?" Katara breathed slowly and put her hand on her chest. Her heart was still hammering in her throat.

Zuko left her field of vision, calling, "What do you want? There are a million vats of tea in here." She heard something bump, then clang, then the Fire Lord swear.

"I don't care, anything." Katara closed her eyes again, listening to him scramble up and search for a mug.

**...**

...

**Thanks everyone! Here is chapter two! Hope it was awesome!**

**Leave me love!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Asylum

**Title: **Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: R

**Summary**: Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

**Beta**: MusicIsLove92, Sword_on_Fire

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**Pairing**: Zutara, and a little bit of Taang in this here chappy . . .oh, and some implied . . . MaiLee . . is it? TyMai Maybe? Ah well, ZUTARA is the important one.

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 3: The Asylum**

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Katara propped herself on an elbow, and rubbed her newly sore chest as she heard Zuko fiddling with mugs and ladles in the pantry. Peeking into her dress, she saw the skin was red and aggravated, but seemed to be returning to its normal color.

"Okay." Zuko walked back in with two hot cups of tea and a teapot, "Uncle wrote 'High Relaxation' under his drawing of the plant on the label." He handed her one, and watched as she knocked it back, much like taking a shot of fermented tiger berry juice, handing the cup back to him.

"Things stop spinning now?" He asked concerned, handing her another mug of it, only to have it pressed back into his fingers, empty, a moment later.

"I think I'm okay, lets just sit down for a while." She looked around, swallowing another mug full of tea. "Over there by the window, I need some fresh air."

Zuko put his mug down and slipped his arm around and under her shoulders, helping her stand. The room spun wildly for a minute and Katara grabbed onto his shirt, burying her face in his neck, reassuring herself that, although the room was spinning, Zuko would be stable.

The Fire Lord winced a bit as the water bender clutched him for dear life, her hands migrating from his shirt to wrap totally around him. Katara mentally scolded herself, clinging to him as though he were the last stable thing in the world.

"I don't think you're okay to stand yet," Zuko started, "maybe we should-"

"Shhh, shush! I need to concentrate on not falling." Katara squeezed her eyes shut, the floor seesawing wildly up and down, her stomach jumping up into her throat. "Don't move, don't breathe, don't talk, okay?"

After about thirty seconds, the room spun itself back into place, and she loosened her hold on the Lord. She didn't even feel up to protesting when he half led, half carried her to the chair, and gave her a scolding about overtaxing herself. It was a relief when he finally went and fetched the teapot and mugs, and began sipping his moodily.

After a long silence, he turned to her. "So, have you thought about my father?"

"Zuko!" Katara glared, then took another sip of her tea, _Ugh! Why does he always brew this stuff so strong? _She wondered, but mustered an "Mmm" sound and a quick forced smile.

"You said you would sleep on it, and technically, you did sleep for a little while there."

Katara put her head in her hands. "Look Zuko, I don't know if I CAN pull something out of someone's head. It's not exactly easy, I usually see things related to the injury the person got, so unless your mother gave Ozai a scar somewhere while she told him in detail where she was going to be for the next ten years, I can't help you!"

"You could find something though, I know you could! The Dai Li could with hypnosis and earth bending, and you're just as good as they are!!"

"I've only done it once before and the person wasn't fighting me. He was actually helping me."

Zuko leaned closer, "But you HAVE done it before."

"Yes Zuko, I have done it before . . . sort of." She poured herself more tea, and crossed her legs, wishing either that the moon would set or Zuko would call it a night and let her have some alone time with herself.

"Who did you . . . ?"

"Jet," Katara smiled, remembering the older boys scent, his touch, how he had made her heart race, and her hands and feet tingle. She figured the tea was starting to take effect as she was beginning to feel cheerful in spite of her discomfort. "Back in Ba Sing Se, after he was captured. I was trying to deprogram whatever they had done."

"Oh, I liked Jet . . . . when I first met him."

"Me too, he got stale with time."

...

...

...

Aang hummed softly, he sat on one of the stone walls in the fortress of Omashu's garden, he had watched the sunset, and then the moonrise, his muscles aching from practice. He heard Toph coming down the walk, and sighed, turning to face her.

"What's wrong Aang?" Toph sat down next to him as he stared up at the moon from where he sat in the Omashu palace garden. The heaviness of his mood seemed to be rubbing off on her, as her voice lacked it's usual mischievous undertones.

"Nothing . . ."

"We just got a messenger hawk from the fire nation," she held up a rolled up paper, "Do you want me to read it to you?"

"That might work on Sokka, but not me."

"Oh come on!! I spent my whole walk down here making up what I was going to say to you! Don't take this away from me!" Toph told him, crossing her arms in mock annoyance.

"Okay Toph, what did it say."

"Forget it, I don't need your pity prank." Toph muttered, "and I can tell your lying about being okay, I don't even need bending."

"Something has been up with Katara lately; I'm worried about her all alone in Ba Sing Se." Aang reached out and took it, and, wincing as he moved his sore muscles, rubbed one of his shoulders.

"Sorry Twinkle Toes, did I go a little rough on you in training today?" She gave him a grin, staring blankly at something just above his ear.

"Yes- no, it was good, it was . . . distracting . . . but I think I may have pulled something."

Toph's smile faltered a little, and she looked a little guilty. "You know, you could have told me to stop, that you needed a break. I would have stopped."

"Really?" Aang made sure she could hear the incredulousness in his voice, sometimes, since she could not see his expressions, she misinterpreted what he was saying.

"Okay, so maybe not, but no pain no gain, right Twinkle Toes?" She affectionately punched him in the arm. Hard.

"Ow!" Aang yelped, recoiling and rubbing his now bruised and sore tricep.

Toph looked down, thinking, then swung her legs over to the other side and stood. She stepped behind Aang, who looked over his shoulder at her with a mixture of affection and fear, and placing her hands on his shoulders, felt him flinch and his heart rate jump.

"All right then Twinkle Toes, for obeying my orders to the point where you have actually hurt yourself, you've earned one of my coveted bandit back rubs."

"Is this going to hurt?" Aang asked nervously, trying to inch away.

Toph ignored him and began gently kneading the muscles of his shoulder. Her finger's traced along the ligaments and tendons, gently pressing. It was strange, her standing so close to him for such a long period of time. It made his blood begin to speed through his veins, and ignited a curious restlessness in his lower stomach. After a few delightful yet awkward minutes, she stepped back.

"I don't think you pulled anything, there isn't enough swelling, but you should probably rest your shoulders for a few days."

"Yeah." Aang was relieved she couldn't see his blush.

"So what does the letter say?" She plopped back down on the wall, her legs on the opposite side from his. "It's from Sparky, right? How is he?"

Aang unrolled the letter, and scanned it quickly. "It says he has gone to Ba Sing Se for a few days to visit his Uncle. That he hopes we are doing well, and he will say hello to Katara, Iroh, and the Earth King for us."

"That's it?! He didn't say anything about me? That jerk!" Toph crossed her arms, feigning offence.

"Oh, and he wrote P.S.: Toph is awesome, and that he has a big crush on her, and he wants to propose to her and have lots of little stubborn-"

Toph pushed him hard enough to knock him off balance and stood up, laughing, "You're making that up! I could tell who Zuko had a crush on, and it wasn't me!" Then her face fell, realizing that she had let slip something that she hadn't quite planned to tell Aang.

"You mean Mai?"

"Umm . . ."

"Not Mai!? Who?!"

"Er- Haru." Toph blurted out the first name that came to mind, then mocked him as he didn't speak, "Of course, Mai, who else would he like? Ty Lee? Opposites only attract in romance scrolls." With that, Toph turned in a way that she hoped communicated that he was to ask her no further questions, and clumped back up the path.

...

...

...

Katara realized something was wrong when she stopped being able to accurately control where her head wanted to go. It kept lolling back, or lolling forward without her actually willing it to do either. Zuko had stretched out on one of the padded benches that Iroh had furnished the place with, and was sipping tea, looking both sulky and euphoric.

"Are you all right? You keep nodding." Zuko sat up, overestimating it a bit and catching himself on the arms of the couch. "I didn't ask any questions."

"I'm fine, I'm just tired." Katara lied.

"You're a water bender; you stay up practically all night! I remember, you and Sokka . . . you'd sleep till four if we let you."

"Maybe Sokka, but I am always up by noon! Anyway, in the South Pole it stays dark for months."

"You have a bad sleep cycle."

"I do not!"

"You know, you healers, you're the very worst patients. You never want to admit something's wrong with you, and you always think you know better than anyone else! You could let someone else try to help you, you know, you don't have to play team mom all the time. I bet you have been lost without anyone to mother!"

"That's not true! I can mother Aang!" Katara argued.

"That's kind of weird Katara, Do you always mother your boyfriends?"

"No!"

"Toph told me about Jet."

"You-"

"I bet you mothered Jet, didn't you?!" Zuko teased her gently, his words slurring faintly.

"Oh, like your relationship with Mai is perfect!" Katara jumped up, overturning her chair in the process. It had not been meant to offend her, but she seemed to be oblivious to the playfulness in his tone.

"I don't want to talk about it." Zuko was suddenly serious.

She marched over to where he sat and stood over him. "Well, maybe you should!" she pushed. She always found herself pushing Zuko. It infuriated her that he just pulled away and bottled things up.

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" Zuko looked away and down.

Katara tried a different tactic. "Come on, I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," she suggested.

Zuko raised an eyebrow, interested in spite of himself. "You go first."

"Aang is so sweet, but most of the time I feel like he's... he's my little brother! He is so busy all the time, and so innocent! He was raised as a monk for goodness sake, and I . . . Well, we're just not on the same page . . . physically. I mean, Sokka says I like 'bad boys', and Aang, doesn't really fit the bill, he is as vanilla as they come!"

Zuko didn't say anything, only stared up at her, waiting.

"Well," Katara stammered after a few moments that felt like an eternity, "say something!"

"Mai never shows any emotion! She never cares how I feel or when I try to make her happy. She resents me for leaving her when I was banished, and she resents that I have been all over the world while she was stuck at home. She loves me, but hates being the Fire Lord's girlfriend. She is just so . . . emotionally unavailable. What can I do? I've done everything I can think of to get her to forgive me! What am I doing wrong?"

Zuko didn't look up, but felt Katara step forward, and place her hands on his head, pulling it gently forward to rest on her stomach. She pet his hair softly, and murmured, "Hey, none of that is your fault, you shouldn't be blaming yourself for your girlfriend's actions."

"It's true though! I left her, and I have to put the fire nation before her . . ." He leaned into her stomach, his hands moving to rest on the back of her knees.

"I understand, but it comes with being the Avatar or the Fire Lord, I can't expect him to put me before the rest of the world! I know he wants to, but he cant, I wouldn't let him if he tried." She ran her fingers through his hair, making her voice as reassuring as possible.

Zuko shook his head, not saying anything.

Katara found that once she had started touching his hair, she couldn't stop, her fingers twined through his strands, which were thinner, but coarser than her's. They were darker too, and growing, his shaggy hair was close to brushing his shoulders, another inch or two.

She suddenly had the urge to lean down and kiss him, to sit in his lap and pull him close, to smell him, to taste him. Her mouth actually began to water at the idea, and all sorts of places across her body began to throb.

Her fingers began to wander running through his hair and across his face, and she weighed the pros and cons of coming onto him right then and there. Then something occurred to her.

"Umm, Zuko . . ." she started, her voice quavering.

"Yes?"

"Which tea, exactly, did you brew?"

Zuko shrugged, "I don't know, it was sitting on Uncle's workbench, it said 'High Relaxation, Romantic, with a full body taste, but light enough to drink without sweetener.'"

"So, do you feel funny?"

Zuko shook his head, a motion that turned into a nod, that turned into a nuzzle that made her whole stomach stand up in goose bumps. She tilted her head back a bit, her fingers tightening in his hair, in her head she calculated just how much of the mixture they had drank, and didn't like the answer.

Zuko however seemed unconcerned, he tilted his head and began nuzzling her wrist, then pressed his unscarred cheek into her palm, "I feel like . . ." he closed his eyes, seeming to take an inventory of his body.

"Maybe a little funny. Relax, Katara, it's just the poppy . . ." he had raised his hands from the back of her knees to most of the way up her thighs, his fingers curling around and in between her legs. He didn't seem to realize he had moved them, or that he had pulled her a half a step closer.

"Hmm?" Katara was sure she had a more articulate question, but it was a little fuzzy. Her thumb had fallen across his lips, and they were so inviting.

"You know . . . the 'high' part of 'high relaxation'" Zuko replied, his lips brushing against her thumb with each syllable. The sudden clenching in her abdomen pulled her back to reality like a splash of cold water to the face.

Katara used her grip on his hair to force his head up to look at her, "Zuko! I . . . You . . . . YOU . . . ." Katara's mind blanked as she looked down at his face, "You come here, and you ask me a favor, and . . . and you won't take off your shirt, even though you have a sexy chest . . . . and you have the most beautiful gold eyes. . . ." Katara realized she was getting off track, "No! Stay focused Katara! You're mad at him! I'm mad at you!"

Zuko looked to either side, as though hoping that there was someone else in the room that maybe she was talking to. Once he verified he was alone, he looked up at her, totally bewildered.

"I'm already . . . . you know, and you pick the one tea, the ONE tea! It was an aphrodisiac!"

"Okay, I made a mistake, sorry! I ASKED you which tea you wanted, you should have said 'Any one but the one Iroh is working on, that one will make me friendlier than a Grasshopper Rabbit!'" Zuko stood up, his hands moving to her hips.

"I think you mean 'We'! You're a little handsy yourself!"

He moved his hands from her hips out, in a gesture of supplication. "And you say I'm moody! One minute you're petting me, the next you're yelling at me! You girls are crazy! Girls are CRAZY! YOU are crazy!"

Katara bit down on her lip hard, hoping some pain would make everything clear. She took a deep breath, and then let it out. "Okay, so, we had a powerful bending experience, we drank some tea that we shouldn't have, and now were both a little cranky."

"And your hands are still in my hair."

Katara pulled them out and deliberately made them into fists, keeping them straight at her side.

"I should go," Katara said, turning away from him.

Zuko didn't say anything, he didn't know whether he agreed or disagreed.

"I have . . . a meeting tomorrow morning . . . early . . . I should go." She walked back towards the kitchen to retrieve her scroll, "And I'm sure you'll want an audience with the Earth King too, to discuss . . . supply and demand . . . or something . . ." She picked it up and smoothed the wrinkles from her dress.

"Do you want me to . . ."

"No!" Katara said, and closing the back door in his face before he could argue.

...

...

...

"He has gone again?" Mai asked the attendant as the woman laced her dress, "Again?! Where did he go this time?"

"Ba Sing Se, My Lady."

"How long will he be gone?"

"I don't know, My Lady."

"He didn't even ask if I wanted to come?"

"As I recall you both did not part on the most amicable of terms. Perhaps he thought you needed your space." The woman said, tying the laces and then stepping back.

"All he ever gives me is space." Mai walked across the room and checked herself in the mirror.

"You look lovely, My Lady."

Mai rolled her eyes, "Then what am I supposed to do today? Azula is in prison, Ty Lee is on Kyoshi Island, and my boyfriend has fled the continent."

The attendant looked uncomfortable, "It is my job to dress you, not amuse you. I don't know what My Lady likes to do. I have never actually seen her do anything she likes other than spend time with the Fire Lord."

Mai sighed loudly, picking up a dagger and polishing it with her sleeve.

"But if I might make a suggestion . . ." the attendant hurried on, "Perhaps My Lady would like to go to the asylum and visit her old friend Princess Azula . . . you know, for old time's sake."

Mai put the dagger down her sleeve, "I suppose I have nothing better to do." She admitted, "It still sounds rather dull."

In Mai's opinion, the balloon ride to the asylum was nice, she liked looking at the scenery, and the thought that at any moment she could fall to her death made it interesting. She always got a thrill out of doing something she wasn't supposed to, or anything that was dangerous. The endorphin rush she felt, however, was always short lived. Ty Lee always said that she used the danger high to replace an emotional need that was not being fulfilled, but, she doubted it. Between Zuko and Ty, any need she could ever have was met to excess.

...

...

...

Azula was kept in a fireproof cell on the topmost floor of the asylum, and had taken up scratching 'Fire Lord Azula' on the walls with loose rocks. When that chore seemed too pointless, she would pace back and forth on the rock floor, bent over, her arms wrapped around herself. She swung her head this way and that, sometimes lucid, sometimes talking to people who were not there.

For a long time, Azula didn't notice her, and Mai took the opportunity to study her old fearless leader. The one time monarch looked pale and dilapidated, and stunk as though she hadn't bathed in a week. Mai guessed it was because she would scratch and bite and hit and kick and burn the guards that tried so badly that they had given up.

"Well well, look who has come to stare at me in my misery." Azula purred from the corner of her cell, her hair still half short and ragged from her haircut, "I thought I would be too boring for a socialite like yourself."

"Hello Azula," Mai ignored her insult, looking around the cage, "You look terrible. Are they treating you humanely?"

"Mai, I had a dream about you the other day." Azula stood up and swaggered over to the bars and grabbed them so hard her knuckles turned white. "The Avatar had decapitated you and was fucking the esophagus of your severed head. You just kept screaming and screaming, until his cum trickled out of your mouth. "

"I'll take that as a 'Yes, Mai, thank you for asking.'" Mai turned to leave, feeling cold disgust welling up inside her, and her stomach threatening to empty itself. The Princess had always been eloquent, able to instill into her audience exactly the feelings she wanted them to experience. It was funny watching a Dai Lee soldier almost piss himself, it was not funny when it was her who was about to leak fluids.

"Why isn't Zuzu here with you?" Azula asked innocently, "You have another fight with him?"

Mai said nothing, but stopped in her tracks.

"This is the third time huh?" Azula leaned against the bars, noting the sudden tenseness in the goth's shoulders, "The first time it was to look for the avatar, but you wanna know why he has REALLY left these last two times?"

Mai turned around. "He needs to find himself."

"No, it's that pretty dark skinned water bender, the Avatar's whore. He wants her, He wants her reeeeally bad." Azula made a lazy thrusting motion with her hips, her head rolling backwards in a slow circle on the leash of it's neck, "Opposites attract, don't they Mai? One always instinctively looks for someone who complements themselves in the hopes that together, they negate each other and become better than they once were."

Mai growled, "That was one time, ancient history, me and Ty Lee don't have feelings for each other."

"One time? Ha! You two were all over each other, don't lie to my face, Mai!" Azula chuckled to herself, then grinned, "Ty Lee still wants you, I saw all the excuses she would make to touch you . . . clumps of fur, makeup . . . girls don't make excuses to touch you unless they want you."

"Zuko isn't attracted to that Water Bender Katara. I have met her, she is not a threat to me." Mai insisted, ignoring the rambling.

"Then you have not seen the way they look at each other, how they are always fighting side by side, back to back . . . front to front. When they camped together, I bet he was always pitching his tent next to her, if you know what I mean." Azula put a hand in her lap and straightened one of her fingers, curling it up in a pseudo phallice.

"You don't know what you're talking about Azula." Mai huffed, "Zuko and I haven't always seen eye to eye, but he wouldn't leave me for a water bending peasant, no matter how big of a national hero she is."

Azula petted her chest. "He would DIE for her, did he tell you how he got that singe on his chest?"

"He said that YOU shot lightening at him, and he wasn't fast enough to redirect it."

"I shot lightening at that water heathen . . . not him. I saw his face, I saw hers. He didn't even think about it, he leapt between her and the blast. I saw the fear of losing one another, and after the bitch defeated me, I saw the love that brought him back. I saw them kiss when he revived."

"You're lying, Zuko wouldn't leave me." Mai sounded unconvincing, even to herself, "He wouldn't betray me and kiss a peasant . . . or anyone."

"Is it worse that she is a penniless rube from the south? Would you prefer she be a high ranking noble?" Azula went for the kill, "If she was from a wealthier family, you could always blame your social status . . . since she isn't . . . then, it must be your personality."

"Zuko loves my personality, and he isn't going to leave me."

"Just like he wouldn't leave you to 'Help the Avatar'? He broke up with you in a _note_, remember?"

Mai's voice raised a little in volume, the only sign she ever showed that she was angry. "No! The war is over, and now there is peace because of what he did! The Fire Nation may have lost the war, but at least now there is peace."

"The Fire Nation LOST because of him!" Azula's eyes rolled wildly.

"You think I don't know that!" Mai stepped back to the bars. "He has sullied the honor of the Fire Nation, he has betrayed our ancestors, the people are just waiting for one wrong move, one slip up, and they'll revolt, try to assassinate him."

"And you."

"I . . ."

Azula leaned through the bars, her pupils dilated, "And when they revolt, who will you stand beside, Fire Lord Zuko or Fire Lord Azula?"

Mai paled, but stammered out, "I will follow Zuko! I told you, I love him more than I fear you!!"

Azula grinned knowingly. "You'll follow him all right, you can follow him to the end of the world, but you'll never stand at his side as his Lady."

Mai wheeled around and ran out the door, Azula's cold, certain laugh echoing down the hallway after her. She rushed out onto the balcony and breathed a few lungfuls of the hot sea air and murmured over and over,

"Azula always lies, Azula always lies . . ."

...

...

...

**Wow, thanks for all the reviews everyone!! I hope you're all really enjoying the story!! It totally started because I was depressed over the finale, and Avatar being over, and I found that fan fiction was more compatible with sulking in the dark than fan art is. (Since you need light to draw and all)**

**Anyway, here is Chapter 3. The plot thickens, a little bit, you know, just to hold the fic together so I am not writing COMPLETELY pointless fluff. Not that I mind pointless fluff, fluff rocks.**

**Anyways, R&R, questions, comments, suggestions, mistakes, plot holes, fanart, thanks again for all the reviews!**


	4. Chapter 4: Gossip

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice.

**Rating**: PG-13, but if you're 14+, and easily psychologically damaged, you may want to tread lightly. (This Chapter Rated for language).

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

**Pairing:** Zutara and a little Yutara is it? Somebody needs to send me a link to an Avatar name-meshing list.

**Beta**: Sword_on_Fire

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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..

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**Chapter 4: Gossip**

...

...

Katara looked up and realized that Yue was leaning over her, her white hair glistening in the moonlight. The waterbender had to blink several times before her eyes adjusted to the silvery light that the woman radiated. The Moon Spirit was naked except for a moonstone that hung from her neck in an ornate collar, and a triple crescent shaped hair ornament strung with pearls.

"Princess Yue...?" Katara stood, and took a few steps forward. She had to be dreaming, she reflected. There was no way that the Princess could be standing across from her, glowing white like the moon itself. Her memory was liquid and fleeting behind her eyes, but she felt sure that the last thing she remembered was getting into bed and hoping Bosco would not be attending her meeting. This was the first time she had ever been conscious that she was dreaming while she was dreaming.

Yue closed the distance between the two of them, and wrapped her arms around the darker girl's shoulders. Twisting, Katara tried to see the girl's feet, she felt sure they weren't touching the ground. "A new moon rises."

Katara frowned, but leaned in close to ask, "What are you talking about? A new moon? I know that. It rises every month." If she was dreaming, the dream-spirit wouldn't know anything that she didn't already since she was only a figment of her imagination. If that was the case though, why was she getting an awful feeling of dread in her abdomen, and a hunch that the Princess was trying to warn her about something?

Yue stepped back, cupping Katara's chin in her fingers and holding her gaze. "In skill you need never to bow to any man, save the night of the new moon." Then, she leaned forward again and kissed her squarely on the mouth, and said in a sing song way, "The river always knows the best course to take. Follow it to the delta. There you will find your answers."

"What are you talking about?" she asked again, but Yue's inner glow was fading away and everything was turning to black. She saw the spirit wither in on herself and melt, the skin under her eyes hollowing. She was passing through her phases, and going dark as she would rise the following night. A short breathless gasp later and Katara suddenly found herself in her bed in the Earth King's Palace, where someone was banging quite forcefully at her door.

"Mm Cmmmnnnn . . ." Katara grumbled, dragging herself out of bed, her arms and legs still heavy with sleep. Walking over to the door, she had the luxury of feeling just how stiff her muscles had become during the night. She briefly tried to estimate how much sleep she got, but instantly gave up, deciding it was too little, and leaving it at that. She opened the latch and two servant women bustled in, looking worried.

"We have been knocking for half an hour!" one informed her, irritated, but trying her best to sound polite.

"You'll miss your meeting with the King! His Majesty has also arranged a lunch banquet to welcome the Fire Lord, who has requested you to escort him, so put on something formal that represents the Fire Nation."

At first, they tried to help her bathe, but after a short explanation that it would be quicker if she did it herself, they began fussing with her clothes, trying to find a splash of red silk among the blue wool and green linen. Turning her back to them, Katara shed her sleeping dress and bent the water from the basin, running it along her skin, then lathering, then another pass with her water snake to rinse. After she had washed the previous day's sweat from her skin and glanced longingly at her travel clothes, in her opinion, they were far more comfortable than the long skirts and exposing tops of the Fire Nation. She always felt like parts of her were about to spill out.

"Here, Master, This was the only one in your trunk." The older maid told her, holding it up for her to inspect, like she had a choice. It was a sleeveless red number, reaching all the way to the floor with slits nearly halfway up to the hip. It had a halter neck, and was heavily embroidered with dragons.

"That one is fine." Katara replied, cringing. It had been buried at the bottom of her trunk for a reason. Zuko had given it to her for important meetings, and told her proudly that he had picked it out himself. It was something he had thought would make her look good, and therefore feel good. It had been a sweet gesture, but he had a distinctly male taste in women's clothes. Less is more.

She hadn't wanted to actually wear it because it wasn't to her taste, but, she hadn't wanted to get rid of it either. It was a gift from a dear friend, after all. She had thought about altering it, but, she knew Zuko would put two and two together and know that she had felt uncomfortable showing the amount of skin he assumed she would be, and that would embarrass him. It would embarrass her too, more than she cared to admit or could logically justify.

After pulling it on, Katara looked in the mirror appraisingly. Her reflection stared back, slightly horrified. The younger attendant stepped up behind her, and nodded approvingly, then picked up a hairbrush.

"Would you like help with your hair, Master Bender Katara?" she asked. "And you'll want to put on some jewelry, some gold bracelets and armbands would look nice, do you have any with you?" The girl was careful not to imply that there was a possibility that Katara simply didn't own any.

"I'll be fine." Katara pulled her hair back into a twist, then flipped it and braided it, looped the braids, then finally secured her hair loops to it, and looked at it with a hand mirror, and yanked on it once to even it out.

"Here, Master" the older woman said, "They're not dragons like the ones on your breast, but they're still reptiles." She held out a pair of gold arm bands in the shape of snakes, with rubies set into the eyes. The other grabbed her wrist and began rather roughly sliding gold bracelet upon gold bracelet onto her arm.

"I can do this myself!" Katara huffed, as the older woman bent and picked up her foot. If she was listening, she didn't react, only slid more gold bands onto Katara's feet.

"Master Waterbender Katara," the first said, exasperated enough to throw propriety out the window, "You have to be in the council room in less than a quarter of a candle mark. _Please_ let us do our job."

Katara fell silent. She had not realized the time was so late. The first stood, and opened one of the cupboards and pulled out a ceramic jar and dipped her finger in, and dabbed something under each of Katara's eyes and began blending it in, clucking about the paste not matching her skin tone. As they worked, Katara took inventory of her body, and was relieved to find that the surge of power -- and the yearning for touch -- had vanished with the moon.

"How about these for your ears?" The younger one who had scolded her a moment before held out a pair of earrings. Katara prayed the holes in her ears had not closed by now, and nodded cooperatively.

"Don't Miki! She'll move her head!" scolded the second, who was now drawing dark lines around Katara's eyes. The first shrugged and began groping for Katara's ears.

"Are you finished?" Katara asked, her speech slurred as her mouth hung open in an attempt to keep her eyes still for the woman. Suddenly, she was very worried she would unintentionally drool on the chest of the dress, and would then have to explain to Zuko how it had gotten ruined.

"Step into your shoes! Hurry, Master Waterbender!" The irritated older woman grabbed her wrist and dragged her over to them. The other pressed her manifest list into her hand, looking relieved. As they shoved her out the door, Katara had a vision of both of them collapsing onto the chairs in her room, out of breath, right after the door shut.

...

...

...

Zuko sat in the council chamber with the Earth King, Bosco the Bear, and Arnook, chatting with them pleasantly. He was happy that the young Earth King had started taking a more active role in the governing of his people. There was really no choice once Long Feng had been removed and the Dai Li had been put on probation. From the sunburn on the man's nose and the well worn bear claws, Zuko had the feeling that he still would take incognito bear rides through the countryside when the mood struck.

Katara was late, and the Earth King had taken the opportunity to ask him all about his friend the very pretty contortionist who had helped capture Ba Sing Se. Mostly, he seemed to want to know if she was single, and liked Earth Kings. Zuko had just finished his embarrassing story about how Ty Lee had once accidentally somersaulted into a cabbage merchant's stall when she was younger, when he heard hurried footsteps coming down the hallway.

The Fire Lord, The Chief of the Northern Water Tribe, and the Earth King stood. Bosco stayed seated, though he did stop chewing on his ball for a few seconds.

Zuko inhaled sharply.

Katara stumbled through the doorway, as though someone had just shoved her from behind, but recovered her footing quickly, and bowed with as much poise as she could muster. Zuko realized he had never seen her dressed up in formal Fire Nation clothes, and he recognized the dress as the one he had bought in the days after he assumed the throne, while the gang enjoyed the Capital City.

"I beg your forgiveness for my lateness, Your Majesty, my lords," Katara quickly apologized, looking embarrassed, and tried to hurry to her chair as gracefully as possible.

"Do not worry about it, Master Katara." Earth King Kuei motioned to an empty chair, "We passed the time easily enough. You look well."

Katara smiled and thanked him, even though she felt more like a parrot fish than a lady, all done up.

"Don't you agree, gentlemen?" Kuei sat back down.

"She will make someone a fine and beautiful wife in a season or two," Arnook agreed dismissively with a touch of jealousy in his voice. Katara's relative beauty was old news to him, and he wanted to move on to more important things. Zuko on the other hand was looking closely enough to notice Katara's grip on her scroll became tighter, and her smile leaving her eyes.

"So have you completed your report?" The Earth King asked, and Katara nodded and passed it to him.

"This is everything I could think of, though my brother Sokka will be able to give you a more accurate report after a few months. Once they have finished rebuilding, the tribe will be interested in trading some of their resources." Although there had been a large influx of people traveling to the south pole from the north pole, there weren't as many immigrants as her father had thought that there would be. A remarkable number of Northmen were traveling abroad.

"I chartered the course, and a ship could make it around the peninsula and past the archipelago in about three weeks with fair winds, though that would be cut in half if there were waterbenders on board to propel it." Arnook said, unfolding a navigator's map with a few different lines drawn on it. "The trick is to catch the current here, otherwise it will carry you pretty far east."

...

...

...

The fussing of two attendants had been bad, but the fussing of all the Earth Kingdom upper class was unbearable. Gaggle after gaggle of teenagers had come up to her and asked her if she was Lady Mai, and when she said no, they started to giggle and asked how she knew the Fire Lord, and other inane questions.

"I knew it! I knew you weren't Mai; you don't look like you're from the Fire Nation at all," one girl said, clapping her hands together, "Nobody from the Fire Nation has blue eyes." Katara was ashamed to see that the girl was much older than she was, and yet acted far more immaturely.

"So, is he seeing girls outside of the Fire Nation?"

"Are you Arnook's daughter?"

"No she isn't! She died, remember?!"

"Shh!! Don't bring it up! He's right over there!"

"So you're the Southern Water Tribe Princess, aren't you?"

"What attracted the Fire Lord to you?"

"Is he a powerful bender?"

"Are you two betrothed?"

"No they couldn't be!"

"Did he leave Lady Mai for you? How scandalous!"

"Have you seen him bend?"

"What does he look for in a girl?"

"Is he a good bender?"

"How badly is the rest of him burned?"

"He still has all his... parts, right?"

Katara looked around frantically, trying to come up with an excuse to get away, "Well I-"

"Hey! You!! I remember you!" said a new, angry voice. "You dumped me and my friends in the river- you and that little scruffy blind earthbending girl you had with you! You were both wearing more make up than a painted lady from the red lamp district! What are you doing here?"

Perplexed and insulted, Katara looked at the new obviously pregnant girl, trying to remember where she had seen her before. "Do I... Oh yes, you and your friends insulted us." No wonder the girls had been so hostile if they thought two call girls were walking around freely in the upper ring. Not that Katara condoned that sort of treatment of anyone, but, she could see why the aristocrats thought they could speak to them that way- they thought that they were speaking to whores. Unfortunately for the noblewoman, Katara wasn't one to forgive or to forget, and she felt the anger from the old grudge boiling up inside her.

"Star, you insulted the Princess of the Southern Water Tribe?!" one of the other girls exclaimed in horror. The other girls began to whisper, and Katara was sure every noblewoman in the upper ring would hear about the scandal by morning.

"Well, you should have seen her, she –wait... Princess?" Out of a mother's reflex, Star put her hand over her abdomen and took a step back. They had all heard stories about the Princess of the Southern Water Tribe, the girl who had defeated the Fire Princess and taken the Fire Nation Capital Palace singlehandedly.

"She's here escorting the _Fire Lord_," gossiped another.

"Escorting?"

"Actually," Katara cleared her throat, her voice sharp, "_He_ is escorting _me_, you see, _I'm_ the one here on official business."

"Uhhh" Star was speechless. "Excuse me," Quickly she turned on her heel, and stormed off, crossing to one of the noblemen by the buffet and yanking on his arm. Apparently, she was ready to leave.

"Excuse me too, ladies," Katara echoed, taking advantage of the stunned silence, and retreated to where Zuko and Iroh were sitting with two Earth Kingdom generals. She hadn't remembered seeing Iroh get there, and was eager to thank him for his special vintage of hospitality the night before.

"You know, she should have apologized!" whispered one girl as Katara walked away, but Katara didn't know or care whether the girl had meant her or the Earth Kingdom girl, Star.

". . . . but it is a very intricate defense," Iroh was saying as she sat down. "The Moon tile and the Wheel Tile can maintain the line, while the Sword tile and the Chalice tile weaken your opponent's offence."

After a server had handed her a glass of something cool, red, and bubbling, Katara nudged Zuko gently with her elbow, careful not to catch him in his ribs where his muscles were sore. "You would not believe how many of these Earth Kingdom girls here are smitten with you," she muttered. She couldn't blame them, he was quite good looking, and tall, dark, handsome, rich, and powerful was a potent combination.

Zuko raised his good eyebrow and then shook his head, the denial evident in his features. "Katara, stop teasing."

Katara stopped, taken aback, and then tried again: "I'm serious! I just got asked if you're seeing girls outside the Fire Nation."

"What did you say?"

"Well, nothing."

"In future, please remind them that I am taken." Zuko took a sip, then added as an afterthought, without looking at her, "Of course I would see a girl outside the Fire Nation, provided she were the right girl."

Katara stared into her chalice, and without moving it, swirled the liquid in a circular motion until it turned into a whirlpool. Her mind wandered as Zuko talked with an Earth Kingdom general about the Fire Nation families that had chosen to stay behind in the colonies that they had made their homes. Apparently the locals were not taking to them as kindly as both governments had hoped, and already four families had been found dead in their beds.

When that conversation ended, Katara had a new question for her escort. "Zuko, is there any significance to the new moon that's coming up?"

"What?" He angled himself towards her, the randomness of the question piquing his curiosity, "Significant how?"

"I don't know, is it a lunar eclipse or something?"

"No." Zuko frowned. "I thought you were the waterbender around here. Don't you have a special link with the moon? Can't you ask her?"

"She was the one who brought it up in the first place!"

Zuko blinked and opened his mouth.

"Don't ask," Katara grumbled.

"I wasn't going to!" Zuko lied hurriedly.

"I had a weird dream." She informed him, even though she told him not to ask and he had assured her he wasn't planning to. "Yue was trying to tell me something. Warn me, maybe, I don't know. I was never the one in the group to tangle with spirits, so this is all coming out of the blue for me..."

A few moments of silence stretched between them, the prince shuffling his feet, and Iroh telling a general all about the difference between the Fool Tile and the Hanged Man Tile in the background.

"...I just don't get the significance of the new moon." She finished

Iroh turned to her, obviously thinking that the statement was directed at him and pertaining to Pai Sho. "Well Katara, the Full Moon and New moon are Pai Sho tiles, too. They both can only move in an arc over the board horizontally, and any pieces adjacent to it cannot be involved in play, both yours and your opponent's. It also moves one space forward on every turn of the player who cast it. With the full moon, the River and ocean tiles double the movement of any water and plant tiles belonging to the player who cast it already on the board. The New Moon, however, it halts all the water based tiles, and doubles power and movement of any stealth or dark tiles."

"Fascinating, Uncle," Zuko commented, his voice dry but polite, "but Katara is talking about a dream, not a game." He knew more about Pai Sho tiles than anyone who didn't care for the game should ever have to.

"My lords and ladies, honored guests," the Earth King called out from the opposite side of the room, "Bosco and I would like to welcome Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe, Fire Lord Zuko, and Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe to Ba Sing Se!"

Zuko and Arnook stood and bowed their heads, after a moment Zuko grabbed Katara's elbow and pulled her up too. Katara mimicked him, bowing her head, and a few of the younger girls whispered and giggled. Katara wished that the other nations were not so formal, as she was not good at remembering protocol. Luckily Zuko seemed to keep an eye on her for these things, and it was less embarrassing to be pulled out of her chair by the Fire Lord than to forget to bow to the Earth King (and his bear) after the hospitality he had shown her.

After a short speech about peace from Arnook, after which the nobles and military officials cheered and clapped, the milling crowd began sitting at their places, and accepting the foods brought to them.

"You were supposed to curtsey," Zuko told her, looking amused in spite of himself. "Only the noblemen bow." Usually it was Mai correcting him on what he was supposed to be doing, this was a nice change of pace.

Katara glared, "Well, maybe I am tired of playing into what girls of my age and my tribe are supposed to behave like." The venom was unexpected, even to her. She hadn't quite acknowledged how resentful she was starting to feel until then, and she really hadn't meant to unleash it onto Zuko. He hadn't done anything wrong.

"I didn't mean that it was bad! Your bow was great, it was just . . . bold," Zuko tried to recover, "Bold like you." He was quite ready to go back to being corrected by Mai.

"I didn't mean it like that." Katara sighed, though she kind of had, "I'm just grumpy today. Don't take it personally."

...

...

...

After countless hours of socializing, Katara found herself riding through the streets of Ba Sing Se sitting on a litter next to Zuko, and she was starting to feel more than just a little irritated. It had been Iroh's idea, to catch up and see the sights of the city together. The older man had actually suggested dressing down and walking, but Zuko had said that his chest was starting to bother him, so Iroh had suggested a palanquin ride instead. He didn't want his nephew to strain himself.

Riding with Zuko was great. He would smile and tell her about how he had kicked Jet's ass on that corner (she giggled at that), or how he had gone on a date at that restaurant, and how he had tried and failed to juggle. She in turn talked about how she and Toph had gotten made up at a place down that road, or how they had put up posters over there, and Toph had wanted to help. They both mutually ignored the events that had happened the night before, and Katara especially ignored the fact that she wanted to put her hand on top of his knee as they rode and talked.

What was irritating her were the throngs of people coming out to see them, some cheering, and some booing. It was impossible to pick out who was yelling what in the crowded street though, and the company of guards that followed them only stepped in if someone got too close or tried to throw something. It was a good gesture though, for the new Fire Lord to make an appearance in the streets, and Katara hoped that it would help in improving the public's opinion of him. Somehow though, actually having to suffer through it was proving little fun.

"Would it be so terrible if I bent the rain to start so I could go inside and get warm?"

"You're cold?" Zuko asked, surprised, as though he hadn't even realized that the temperature had in fact shifted from warm to cool. Usually he didn't really feel the cold, his body automatically adjusted it's inner fire to keep him comfortable.

"Not all of us get to wear ceremonial Fire Nation robes," Katara shot back, then breathed into her hands. "Some of us get to wear tiny silk dresses." She paused and then decided she might as well bring it up, "You couldn't have found something a little more modest?"

"Oh..." Zuko colored and scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "Ty Lee said that it would be perfect for your body." On that point, the acrobat had been spot on, the dress was amazing on her, and suddenly, she was flirting with the line between friendship and attraction in his mind. "Ty Lee isn't very modest, so, I guess it didn't occur to her that you would want something less-"_ sexy_ "-skimpy."

"So Ty Lee was the one who picked it out?"

"No! I said I liked it, and asked if she thought it would look good on you. She said it would, something about the 'cut of the silhouette', and the 'exposed back' or something." He shrugged, then added apologetically, "I don't understand half of what comes out of her mouth between auras, gossip, and fashion. I guess a dress having a silhouette means it's revealing or something."

Katara doubted it, but she nodded once, a subtle signal that there were no hard feelings. Someday, they would look back on this wardrobe mishap and laugh. Then never speak of it again. Bringing her fingers back to her face, Katara blew through them again.

"I can tell them to turn around." He suggested quickly.

"The people want to see you." Katara admonished, "That was the whole idea. You're not supporting peace and understanding between the four nations if you run away from public appearances."

A gust of rain chilled wind hit them unexpectedly. Taking a deep breath, she deliberately crossed her arms over her chest. Zuko noticed the careful placement of her arms, felt the chill in the air, and put two and two together.

"I'll give you my over robe-"

"Don't you dare strip in public, Zuko. I _will_ get off this palanquin." She kept her tone teasing, but made sure he knew it was the truth. Katara remembered clearly all the squealing girls at the party, and she was sure the ones in the crowd were perfectly capable of storming the procession if it looked like Fire Lord Zuko was going to take off his shirt.

"Well, stop doing that, it's not ladylike." She was supposed to be making him look good, not making him look good by comparison. Ladies didn't sit hunched over with their hands in their armpits.

Katara muttered something back that might have been a suggestion for him to get more intimately acquainted with a catgator than he would like. Then and there, he decided to have a talk with Toph about her language, Katara had to have learned the phrase from someone.

"Just, give me your hands."

"What?"

"Give them to me." He held out his own, palms face up.

"No!" She wasn't about to chance another attack of whatever had hit her in the North Pole.

"Katara!" He snapped, exasperated. Now he knew what Azula felt like when they were kids and she was trying to get him to look at the fish in the turtle duck pond. He would never cooperate and go over because he thought she was going to push him in. The crucial difference here was that he had no plans to do anything to Katara whereas Azula would _always_ push him in. Where was the trust? This was what he got for running off. The spirits were punishing him by making him deal with a oddly behaving waterbending female.

"The Lady is tired, please head back to the castle." He told the Earth Lieutenant, and the man nodded and began speaking in a low voice to one of the four men bearing the litter. When he turned back around, Katara was pouting.

"Great, now everyone is going to think that I'm whiney."

Adjusting his sleeve, he draped his arm around her shoulders so the fabric covered them. Zuko didn't bother to tell her that most people already thought that she was Lady Mai, so it wasn't actually her own reputation that she was 'ruining'. He thought about pulling her against him, he could have under the pretext of warming her, but didn't dare. Not only would Mai disapprove, but Katara would probably elbow him in his aching chest.

The warmth seeped through her skin and warmed her bones as well making Katara shiver violently for several moments as her body adjusted. She started to lean into him, but the weight on his side made Zuko wince, and she quickly backed off.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, just a little sore from our session."

"Sorry, sometimes loosening the muscles can make you sore. It's like exercise." She placed her hand on the intercostals tissue of his fourth and fifth ribs, "Does it hurt here when you breathe?"

"No?"

"How about here?" Here fingers moved between his fifth and sixth ribs.

"Ow!" He swatted her away.

The crowd went wild at the sight, and suddenly instead of a few curious onlookers, the streets were lined with people. The middle ring suddenly became impassible and somewhere, a chant of "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" started up, and spread. It was mostly young female voices. Zuko quickly shifted far away and made a 'no' gesture with his hands. He grabbed the curtain on his side and yanked it closed. Unfortunately, the thing was quite gauzy and partially transparent.

"My Lord," The Lieutenant bowed his head, "I'm sorry... it might take a while for us to clear the crowd." Already his men were trying to move the people from the street, but there were more people jostling to get a view than there were guards clearing them away.

"Take your time." Zuko told him and then reached across Katara to pull the curtain on her side closed too. It was a strain- too much of one, really, his chest screamed in protest, and he collapsed back onto his pillow gasping.

"Are you okay? Don't reach like that!" Katara scolded, turning to inspect him.

"It's easy for you to say 'don't reach like that' _after_ I've already done it." Zuko snapped, pressing his hand into his chest, "You couldn't have mentioned that a few minutes ago?"

Katara felt her jaw drop. Somehow, after the few months of separation, she had forgotten just how much of a numbskull the Fire Lord could be. It seemed like they were either scrambling for their life or they were fighting with each other. There was no grey area in between.

"Just relax."

_Brilliant. Why didn't I think of that. _Zuko thought sarcastically to himself as he let his head fall back into the cushions.

"I'll see what's going on out there." Katara pulled back the curtain and peered out. They were not kidding about the road being impassible. "I wish Appa was here." She muttered and lay back. It was always a lot easier to get away from things if you could move in three dimensions instead of two. Outside, the crowd was still yelling something, but neither of them could tell what it was anymore.

Minutes earlier, Katara had been freezing. Now, she felt hot and confined. It was probably the Fire Lord's heavy breathing, she reflected. He was inadvertently heating up the enclosed space. She wished she had brought a fan.

After a good quarter of an hour, the chanting and rabble from the crowd had faded and was replaced by the normal bustle of the city. By the time she could no longer stand the heat and finally pulled the curtain back, she was surprised to see that not only had they gotten almost all the way back to the castle, but the sky had opened, and it had started to sprinkle.

"Well, that was fun." She turned to make conversation, "Can you believe that crowd? You'd think they would show more respect for us."

Zuko shrugged, "You know how people are when they get riled."

"Next time your Uncle suggests an activity, I'm going to turn him down."

"I promise, next time we're in the city together, I'll be up for a nice long walk, we can even go in disguise." He turned and gave her a small smile, "Just Li the refugee and-"

"Sapphire Fire." She supplied.

"What kind of name is that?"

"It's a Fire Nation name!"

"No Katara, no it's not."

"I used it when I had to pose as Aang's mother to get him out of trouble." She explained smugly. She conveniently didn't mention that the principal was half blind and deaf.

"The only kind of girl in the Fire Nation that would go by a name like 'Sapphire Fire' would be one who worked in the red lamp district."

Katara looked for a second like she was going to punch him in the arm. Not for real of course, but the sort of mock offended punch that meant that she was offended, but not _really_ offended. Not enough to actually fight over. Then, she laughed at something that must have been a private joke.

"That's the second time today."

...

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Katara woke up bright and early the next day, which for her was about eleven. She briefly noticed that her clothes were packed, and her blue travel pants and shirt were laid out on one of the chairs, with her water skin laying on top. Apparently she had slept through her attendants readying her for the day. She stretched and looked out the window, the clouds from the previous day had opened, and rain was pouring down. Reaching out her window, she bent some into her water pouch before getting up to bathe, dress, and ask the servants to scrounge up some food.

After finding some lunch, asking the palace staff to transport her luggage to the airship dock, she received a huge packed lunch from the chubby head chef, who insisted that Katara was "skin and bones" and a "growing girl". Frankly, she thought that the man was too used to doling out literal bear sized portions.

As she walked down the hallway, she heard two familiar voices coming from the dock. She was about to round the corner and jog over to them, when she heard her own name. Curiosity was always a healthy emotion for her, so Katara flattened herself against the corner, trying to hear what they were saying.

"--thought more about what I suggested?" Zuko and Iroh sat on the stone floor of the dock near the royal Fire Nation balloon, sipping tea. It was a specially built structure, with a roof and floor, but only three walls. The space where the fourth wall should have been was instead blocked by the side and ramp of the airship.

"I just can't, okay? It doesn't seem right, what with her going crazy and all," Zuko sighed.

"Well, you must admit, insanity runs in the Fire Nation royal family, passed down from generation to generation like a disease." Iroh took a sip of his tea. "I blame the inbreeding," he added as an afterthought.

"Inbreeding?" Zuko asked

"Of course! The nobility keeps marrying into itself, so there's no new blood coming in. Have you ever looked at the family trees in the palace library, Zuko? It's more like a spider web than a tree."

"No, not really," the Fire Lord admitted.

"Well, I believe you can usually trace people to one another within four steps. Take Mai, for example." Iroh concentrated, "She is your maternal grandfather's half sister's granddaughter, on her father's side."

Zuko looked impressed. "And how about Ty Lee?"

"Your maternal great aunt's second husband's granddaughter, related through marriage." He paused there, and they both stared out at the rain. Katara heard another voice then, a man she didn't know.

"I'm sorry, My Lord, the valves are still too wet, we're having no luck. The engine isn't taking." The man who was either a mechanic or a lieutenant explained.

"Keep trying," Zuko told him, "I need to get back to the Fire Nation as soon as possible."

"Yes, My Lord." The man replied, "Only..."

"What?"

"Well, a branch blew by and tore a gash in the fabric of the balloon. It will take at least a week to mend, maybe a week and a half."

Zuko dismissed the man and swore. "I can't afford to be marooned in the Earth Kingdom. Not with Ozai and Azula's reign still fresh in people's minds..."

"So..." Iroh paused taking another sip of tea and rolling it over his tongue, "Azula has finally gone mad..."

Zuko nodded, rubbing the back of his neck, "So totally and completely that it scares me. She just... snapped, but she isn't mad like Bumi, there's no joy in it, she's still as dark and calculating as ever."

"And I believe there is the potential also for you to succumb to the darkness inside you." Iroh replied, "We all flirt with the line between sanity and madness, Nephew, you, Azula, your father, your mother, me..."

"You?"

"Yes," Iroh's voice took on a strange quality, and he looked out across the airship deck and into the rain. "I was not so much different from your father in my youth..."

"What changed you?"

Iroh smiled sadly, "Many things, my morals, my experiences in the war, the Old Masters in the Sun Temple, your mother, my son, and my grief over his death. Just remember Zuko, you will never be free of the _possibility_. It's in your blood, and will be in your children's blood." He paused again and the humor returned to his voice, "Therefore, I recommend when you marry, you marry outside the Fire Nation nobility. That little earthbender that your friends with is quite charming."

"What?!"

Katara heard a tea mug clatter as it was dropped.

"Or how about the Earth King Kuei's cousin, the Lady Ling? She's a little older than you, but, do not underestimate an older woman's passions."

"Uncle, I'm not thinking about marrying anyone right now." Zuko paused, "If I was going to marry someone, I'd marry my _girlfriend_."

"It's really too bad Princess Yue became the Moon spirit." Iroh continued on, teasing his nephew was too much fun, "She would have made a grand wife for you, beautiful, kind, and dutiful, and your marriage would have brought peace and alliances between the Fire Nation and Water Tribe. Speaking of which, what about that pretty waterbending master you went to the banquet with last night? I must admit, I don't know Katara as well as I do Toph, but she seems... exciting."

Katara blushed red.

Zuko shook his head, "I think she hates me."

"Hates you?"

"It's complicated."

"You would be surprised how easy it is to mistake love for hate." Iroh paused, thinking about Ursa, "Your sister did quite often as a child."

Zuko didn't want to talk about his sister anymore. It was mentally exhausting. "I think who I marry is the last thing on everyone's mind!"

"Are you crazy Nephew?" Katara could hear the laughter in Iroh's voice. "Every eligible Earth Kingdom girl and her mother is watching your every move! Not just the noblewomen, the peasants too!"

"When I marry, Uncle, I plan on marrying for love."

"Ah well," Iroh smiled and poured him another mug of tea, "I have no doubt that you will be a wise and good Fire Lord, whatever you end up doing." He had a feeling that if a good marriage that would benefit all three remaining nations turned up, Zuko would do the right thing for his country and take it.

Just then the thunder crashed, and lightening streaked across the sky, and Katara decided it was as good a time as any to make an entrance.

"Katara!" Iroh stood to meet her and stepped over the shattered remains of Zuko's teacup. "How nice it is to see you!"

"Zuko, we're not going to fly in this storm, are we?" Katara demanded. The wind was blowing branches off the trees and the rain sheeted against the walls fiercely. She was quite sure that anything that tried to fly in this would get struck by lightening and spiral down into a fiery explosion.

"I don't think so." Zuko muttered, "They can't get the thing started, let alone aloft. I'll have to make alternate arrangements."

"'Alternate arrangements'?" Katara asked, suspiciously.

...

...

...

"This is NOT what I had in mind when you said 'alternate arrangements'!" Katara yelled over the wind, which had started to howl. Her ostrich-horse whuffled, and put its head down to munch on the wet grass. It practically yanked her down off of it's shoulders in the process.

"Just bend the rain away from us as we ride," Zuko called back. "We're heading for the Serpent's Pass. I sent a messenger hawk to my steward, he'll arrange for a boat to meet us there." That was assuming that the messenger hawk made it to the Fire Nation in the storm. Assuming the storm passed or lightened enough so that the ship could sail. Assuming that his ship wasn't bothered by the Serpent.

"It's raining arctic dogs and bearded cats!"

"It's the eye of the storm, we'll be fine."

Katara glared murder at him and then nudged her Ostrich-horse into a lope, blowing past him and his guards and, heading towards the outer wall.

"Hey!!" Zuko took off after her, trying to close the distance between them. The thunder crashed loudly and spooked his ostrich horse and it brayed and launched into a full gallop, and Zuko winced as he bounced mercilessly on top of the saddle, his chest blossoming with new pain. He would have picked a mongoose dragon over an ostrich horse any day.

By the time they reached the outer wall, Zuko was thoroughly soaked, even Katara was a little wet, though she diligently bent the droplets away from her. The ostrich horses were getting very jumpy as well, and Katara's began snapping at Zuko's when it shied too close to it, scared of the thunder.

The company of guards were close behind them, huddled under their helmets in the rain. The Earth King had offered him several Dai Li as guides, but Zuko had politely declined, saying he would prefer to stick with his own men. Both he and Katara were not particularly fond of the Dai Li.

"Open the gate!!" Zuko yelled as his mount danced back and forth underneath him.

After several hours of riding in the rain, Katara was starting to feel exhausted, and had simply had enough. Luckily the rain had started lighting up. She had witnessed first hand Zuko's ability to peruse and push on through obstacles, but, she had always been the one being chased. Now, she was the one facilitating the ordeal, and she wasn't sure that it was any better than being the prey.

"My Lord." Zuko's Captain pulled in next to them, "We scouted a good place ahead to camp. There's a cave up ahead."

"The rain is lightening up, Jee, we should press on while we're in the eye of the storm." Zuko responded.

"Zuko!!" She kicked her emu horse and caught up with him, "Let's stop, please? This thing is making my legs hurt."

He sighed, looked ahead, then nodded.

...

...

...

"Shut up, Mother." Azula whispered, running her hands through her hair and rocking back and forth. "I'll prove it to you. I'll prove you're scared of me."

The room was still.

"I'll make you scared of me!" Azula hissed. "I'll be the most terrifying Fire Lord EVER! I'll take back my throne! I'll avenge my father! I'll strangle Zuko with his own intestines! I'll cleave Mai's arms from her body and feed them to her! I'll freeze that damn waterbender until I can shatter her fingers and toes under my heels! I'll crush them like the maggots they are." She crunched a beetle crawling across her floor, wiggling her bare toes in its guts, feeling them squelch up between her digits.

One of the guards peered in through the door, but quickly turned away.

"Why did he save that dirty peasant girl?! Why did I shoot lightening at her?! I shouldn't have shot lightening at her! I should have killed HIM, the sissy boy." Azula began squishing the bug's entrails into oblivion on the stone floor, its insides becoming a dark, red-blue streak. "I could have killed him! I should have killed him, and then and _then_, the water slut would have been so distraught over her bitch boy's death that . . . that . . . that she wouldn't have fought so well. She would have been distracted- not _focused_."

Azula tugged on her hair again. "Hahahah! Next time will be different, I know that she is his weakness. Just like he is Mai's weakness. He loves her. _He loves her_, I saw it on his face, and just like Mai, it makes him stupid."

"Love, love, love, _love_!!" Azula screeched, clawing her arms. "Love is weak! People who love are weak! I'll prove to you and my disgusting brother and his harem that love is a weakness! Every time someone did something out of love, they ended up losing!" Her brother had won though, he was sitting pretty on _her_ throne.

"Losing was- A miscalculation, a fluke. Just luck! I got cocky. I thought that I had won. I toyed with her instead of just killing her." Azula growled, her nails scratching her arms, drawing blood. "Now I know. Strike to kill. Their luck is about to run out. I'll make him _scream_ for her."

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**Yes, Yes, Azula is going mad, the loss of her status, the incarceration, the paranoia, and her and Zuko's shoddy genetics are all playing their part. So if you're easily offended, you may want to skip over the parts where she goes Marquis De Sade...**

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**Thanks for all the complements of my fic being original! Wow, I thought that the 'Zuko looks for his mother' theme would be so overdone, that's why I intentionally took it to the limit.**

**Make it really dark... and intriguing. ::shifty eyes::**

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**Read and Review!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Ozai Supporters

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: R

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Pairing:** Zutara

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 5**

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Katara opened her saddlebags, hoping against hope that everything she owned was not completely soaked through. Her emu horse turned and nuzzled her, begging for a treat, and she dug out a carrot and fed it to her. Zuko's stallion took a step forward and butted its wet head against her back, begging as well. Katara's mare fluffed out its wings and bit him before Katara could give him a treat too.

Katara leaned against her mare, the ride had jogged her muscles, and her uterus was sore. She could feel her cycle coming, and it was making her testy. Zuko's Emu horse nuzzled up to her again, and she affectionately pet its nose.

"Katara, stop playing with him," Zuko pulled on the reigns, and continued to unpack his bags, "and see if you can get yours to stop biting everything that gets in range!"

"You know, YOU wanted to take the Emu Horses." Katara snapped, irritated.

Zuko leaned the saddle against the cave wall, "I didn't WANT to take the Emu Horses, they were the fastest thing that the Earth King had in this storm! Why are you so cranky?!"

"I'm not cranky!!" Katara yelled, and her Emu Horse spooked, tossing it's head and backing away from her.

"Stop yelling! You're spooking you're mare!"

Katara dropped her things next to her wet sleeping bag, "Just start a fire, will you?! I'm freezing!!"

Zuko glared at her, "Fine!"

Katara sulked by the fire for about a quarter hour, before her conscience kicked in, and she started feeling bad about snapping at the Fire Lord. She had to admit that she was having an exciting time with him, she missed being able to travel across the world, and the wanderlust had been setting in.

"This is for you." Zuko held out a cup of tea, Katara, lost in thought hadn't noticed him brew it.

Katara smiled, trying to communicate with her expression that she was sorry and she wasn't angry anymore, "What? Oh . . . thanks Zuko."

He looked surprised, as though he had expected her to reject his peace offering.

Katara widened her smile, and clasped her hands around his and the mug, waiting for him to release it.

He didn't.

"I think it's just what I need, that was so sweet of you."

"Oh . . ." Zuko let go, pulling his hands back, and looked off to the side, suddenly becoming very interested in the cave wall to her right.

Katara wondered briefly how many times he had tried to give Mai something and been rejected. Then she dismissed it and curled up around the warm cup, carefully pressing it into her lower stomach.

"Are you okay?" Zuko sipped his tea, looking concerned.

"I . . ." Katara realized she might as well come clean, she would be traveling with him for a while, "I have cramps . . ."

"Oh . . ." Zuko blushed and his tea sloshed out of his cup and he quickly put it down, "Can't you . . . you know . . . water bend them away?"

"No." Katara sighed, blushing as well, "No, water bending doesn't work on things like this because it's I don't know, natural, how were born, like, same reasons I can't water bend away Toph's blindness."

Zuko got onto his knees and crawled over, "Lay back." He leaned over her.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Katara put her hands on his chest, "What? No! What are you going to do? You can't just say something like that and not give me an explanation!"

Zuko reached up and clasped her wrists, removing her hands from him, "I saw Azula do this for Ty Lee once, just trust me?"

Katara sighed, annoyed that he had played the trust card, but lay back, scowling at the ceiling.

Zuko leaned over her and took a few deep breaths, then pressed the heel of his hands into her lower abdomen, fire bending so they heated up.

"ow Ow OW . . ." Katara flinched, "Not helping . . . Not Helpi- Oh my goddess!!"

Zuko had shifted, and all of a sudden the pain relaxed away.

"Better?" Zuko sat back on his heels, looking proud of himself, the smallest smile tugging at his mouth.

Katara propped herself up on her elbows, "I didn't say you could stop!"

Zuko raised his eyebrow and then bent back over her, returning to work.

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"You're here!! You're HERE!!" Ty Lee bounced up and down and waved, the rain smearing her makeup.

Sokka and Suki rushed off the boat, their coats over their head, and made for the umbrellas held by the Kyoshi.

"Finally!!" Suki hugged her Warrior friends.

"We better hug too." Ty Lee said, throwing her arms around Sokka, who tried to shy away.

After a few short greetings, everyone rushed for the shelter of the houses, and before long, Sokka found himself in the dojo with the other Warriors, sitting on Suki's bed, watching her unpacking her belongings.

"You're really leaving us?!" One of them was asking, "We had hoped that you would stay! You're our leader."

"I'm only going to the south pole for a few months," Suki smiled, "After that, we'll see, me and Sokka are playing it by ear, He has an obligation to his tribe to be their chief, and I have an obligation to the Kyoshi."

Ty Lee put her arms around two of the girls, and smiled, "How will we ever fill the void left by our leader?" She sighed, "I know I'll need a lot of . . . comforting." She flirted, and the two girls giggled, one of them pawing at the acrobat's chest.

"Later, Ty!"

Suki straightened, "When the weather clears a bit, we'll have a few tournaments, and I'll talk with each of you, and decide who would be the best to take over my position while I am gone."

Sokka raised one of his eyebrows, "Well, You all seem good at holding positions." He joked, laughing, while a few of the Kyoshi Warriors laughed, but most rolled their eyes.

"Sokka, why don't you go get the rest of our luggage?" Suki asked, looking a little embarrassed.

Sokka muttered something about girls having no sense of humor, but complied to her request, trotting out of the room.

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Zuko lay next to Katara, both of them on their backs, staring up at the ceiling. Zuko had his brow furrowed, deep in thought.

"Okay, Azula, Haru, Zhao, and Long Feng.

"Ugh," Katara made a face, "I would kill Zhao, cook Long Feng, marry Haru, and do Azula."

"Really?" Zuko looked at her like she was crazy.

"I don't have to explain myself," Katara adopted her most aloof tone.

"You only say that because you have never seen the men coming out of Azula's room, she breaks them."

After a few moments of silence, Zuko reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a bracelet, it was gold and studded with red jewels. "I have to apologize to Mai, I got her this in Ba Sing Se, do you think she'll like it? Do you think she'll forgive me?"

Reaching up, Katara held it at a better angle, "It's beautiful, I'm sure she'll love it, In fact, I bet she's already forgiven you and is waiting eagerly for you to return home." Katara lied, a pang of jealousy running through her chest.

Zuko smiled, reassured.

Katara looked over to where the two emu horses were grooming each other lovingly and propped herself up on one of her elbows.

"Did you mean what you said?"

"You'll have to be more specific." Zuko put the bracelet back in his pocket and looked over at her, and she couldn't help but admire his gold eyes, tinted orange in the firelight.

"Yesterday, when you said that nobody likes to look at your face."

Zuko unconsciously brushed his hair over his scar, "Yes."

Katara reached out and deliberately pushed it back, out of his face, then ran the back of her fingers across his rough cheek.

"Well, for the record, I like looking at your face."

Zuko froze like a deer in the headlights, his whole body going tense, and then he stood up, retreating to the other side of the hearth, "I . . . I'm tired . . . we should get to sleep."

Katara nodded and wrapped herself in her sleeping bag, feeling a little hurt.

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Zuko woke up at sunrise as usual. He sat up and was surprised to see the water bender's bedroll empty, usually she was impossible to wake before seven.

He stretched, his chest twinging sharply in protest, and he rubbed the complaining muscles, then washed his face, splashing water from his water skin on his face, and drying it with his sleeve.

Katara walked in as he had started to saddle his emu horse, washed and dressed, her eyes had dark circles under them and she looked as grumpy as ever, and he quickly looked at the ground, not wanting to say or do anything to incur her wrath.

She had not slept well, her cycle paining her terribly, but she had not had the courage to wake up Zuko and ask him for help again. When five rolled around and the false dawn lit the overcast sky, she gave up, found her towel and her soaps and walked to a nearby spring, and washed her hair, and then relaxed in the cool water. As she washed, she found her bleeding had started, and she groaned inwardly, searching for the necessary cloths in her pack, before redressing, and heading back to the cave.

The ride passed slowly, the rain starting and stopping as they rode, getting steadily worse as the day wore on. They had played 'Fuck, Kill, Marry, Eat' until they had run out of mutual acquaintances, and then started singing songs to pass the time. Katara was surprised to find out that Zuko actually had a very beautiful singing voice once she had coaxed him into singing a song.

She spent the next few hours teaching him the words and melodies to her favorite songs, and then asking him to sing them for her. He had been bashful at first, but seemed to enjoy the attention, and after a protest, that Katara suspected was mostly for show, would happily launch into the song. Katara was starting to suspect that he showed affection by doing favors and giving gifts more than actually using words or motions, so she kept thinking of new things for him to do to keep them amused.

"Do you know the one called 'The Mystic's Dream'? I want to hear that one."

The Fire Lord gone bard nodded and they started singing, actually getting into a contest with her over who could sing the lyrics the loudest. It was a draw, they had both done their fair share of yelling in their lives.

Zuko in turn taught her his favorite lullabies growing up, two ballads about fire nation soldier falling in love with a princess and then dying in battle, and (after some more coaxing) one rather raunchy fire nation drinking song about a prostitute, a priest, and a ginger root.

The sun started setting, though it was impossible to tell through the cloud cover, and they had crossed over into one of the burned out regions of the kingdom, and Katara instantly got a bad feeling in her stomach that had nothing to do with her moon time. She decided to voice her opinion, loudly.

"Zuko," She reached across the gap between their mount and tugged on his sleeve, "I have a bad feeling, were in danger."

"You do? You sure its not just-" He got cut off as an arrow flew through the air and lodged itself in the throat of his emu horse, and it fell to it's knees taking Zuko with it, gurgling grotesquely as it died.

Katara stifled a scream behind her hand as another arrow flew through the air where Zuko's head had been a moment before. Then the reality set in, they were under attack, and her instincts took over, she jumped off her emu horse, and rushed over to haul Zuko out from under the dead weight of his own Emu stallion.

"Fuck!" She heard him swear under his breath as she helped him wrench his leg free and another two arrows buried themselves in the ground inches from vital body parts.

As soon as he was on his feet Zuko scanned the area and sent a fireball in the direction that the arrows were coming from. Two Fire Kingdom men materialized from the rocks, dropping their bows, one drew his sword, and the other deflected Zuko's fireball and shot one of his own back. They were dressed scruffily with barely any armor, their hair pulled back into ponytails. They both however, had blue war paint smeared down their face in the shape of a lightening bolt.

"Ozai supporters!" Zuko groweled.

Zuko drew his swords, separated them, and charged. Katara uncorked her skin and bent it out, or tried to, the water poured from her skin onto the ground dripping through her fingers. Katara panicked, trying to bend it again, but it felt as though the moon spirit was dead, the water was unresponsive to her will.

Suddenly the swordsman was right in front of her and she threw herself to the side, losing a few strands of hair, but thankfully no limbs as he slashed. She scrambled up to her feet, getting into stance, and glanced over at Zuko, who was bending hard, but was out of practice, and his face was contorted in pain.

"What's wrong Katara?!" He yelled, as he countered a fire whip "Bring the rain!!"

"I . . ." Katara grabbed a charred stick up off the ground and barely managed to parry with it, "I can't!! It's not working!"

The swordsman lunged at her again, and Katara sidestepped, and swung her wood like a bat, thanking the spirits that she and Suki had done some fighting practice together. It caught him right across the face, and he staggered, clutching his temple. Katara grimaced, she had been aiming for his nose.

Over the swordsman's shoulder she saw Zuko take a hard blow to his chest and a scream tore from his throat, and he doubled over onto all fours, and the bender kicked him hard in the ribs, and he collapsed onto his side, where he took two more kicks.

"Drop the Fucking stick and get down, or I'll Fucking kill him!!" The bender yelled at her, a fireball forming in his hand.

Zuko looked up at her and spat out a mouthful of blood, "No! Katara Run!"

The bender kicked him again and he grunted, but kept his eyes locked on her.

"Last chance peasant girl!!" the bender yelled, drawing his arm back to strike.

Katara felt the wood slip from her fingers, and she dropped to her knees, holding out her hands to be tied up. The Swordsman seemed to have found his balance again, though there was blood dripping from his forehead, and grabbed her wrists, tying them together as the bender did the same to Zuko.

"Why didn't you run?!" Zuko hissed, fresh blood still dripping from his mouth, as he stumbled forward, his arms chained together, "Why didn't you BEND?!"

Katara felt tears welling up in her eyes, "I can't!! Its not working, I can't bend!!"

Zuko's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything else.

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Mai had taken to sitting listlessly by the window and gazing out at the fire nation landscape. She was feeling awfully bored, and she was still mad at Zuko for running off to the Earth Kingdom and leaving her all alone. From where she sat, she could see the storm clouds beginning to drizzle again, and she was pleased that soon everyone in the Fire Nation would be as wet and miserable as she felt inside without her boyfriend.

"My Lady, wont you please eat some lunch?" her attendant asked, proffering a plate, "I asked the chef to fix your favorite, please, your mother will be cross with me if she comes back and sees that you have been wasting away."

"I'm fine." Mai said, "I'm not hungry." Her stomach growled loudly.

"Please my lady?" the older woman had taken to begging her the previous night, "Please? You'll get us all in trouble!"

Mai stood up and stalked out of the room, "I'm going to go sit in the garden."

"No!! No My lady!! You'll catch a cold!! There is a storm rolling in!!"

Mai sighed, torturing servants wasn't as any fun without Zuko around. It was barely fun when he was there. She crossed her arms, her anger still simmering.

"Enough is enough." She turned to her attendant, "Send word to the harbor master that The Fire Lord's girlfriend is taking the next airship to Ba Sing Se. I am bored here."

"But my-" Her attendant started.

"I don't care if there is a storm and it's dangerous, I don't care!!" Mai's voice cracked slightly.

"It's not just you though lady!" Her attendant fussed, "You'll be putting the fire benders, the Capitan, and the crew in danger as well."

"Tell them anyone who flies it will be promoted."

"Do you . . . do you have that authority?!"

Mai sat back down on her window seat and refused to respond. Her attendant, quite the miracle worker, somehow managed to convince a crew to fly in the storm, and in a matter of hours the noblewoman was a few hundred feet in the air, heading east for Ba Sing Se.

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After a short walk, and considerable yanking around, Katara and Zuko found themselves chained back to back, their hands cuffed together. Zuko kept shifting back and forth, trying to wiggle the chains loose.

The two guerillas had brought them to another cave, smaller than the previous, and lit a fire and were busily munching on rice and meat, laughing about something or other.

Zuko had been gagged with a rag drenched in alcohol so he would not get any ideas about using his fire breath, and Katara was thinking hard, trying to come up with a plan. She missed Sokka more than ever.

"Zuko," She whispered, "can you hear me?"

He nodded.

"Are your ribs broken?"

He shook his head.

"You have any good ideas to get out of here?"

He shook his head.

"Okay, just try to stay calm . . ."

He nodded.

She leaned her head back, resting it on his shoulder, her mind racing. Then she had an idea.

She turned her head and hissed, "Zuko! Strain your head back, I might be able to reach your gag with my mouth."

He slumped down in the chains, then leaned his head back. Katara dug her heels into the ground and stretched, finally managing to snag the cloth in her mouth. She tugged and it rotated, and she pulled until she could get her mouth on the knot. She heard Zuko gag as she pulled on it, but ignored him, trying to tug the knot loose with her teeth and tongue. Her neck screamed in protest, all her muscles aching, but after a few moments, the knot gave, and the rag loosened. Katara turned back to face towards the fire, rotating her head as she heard Zuko wiggle a bit, and spit out the rag.

"Oi, looks like the little girl is starting to get fidgety." The swordsman said to his companion, laughing, "You better get used to being a prisoner, you're goin' to be one for a while."

His bender partner laughed, taking a swig of the alcohol they had saturated Zuko's gag with. "Why don't you teach her a lesson or two, Jheb?"

"Yes, I still need to pay you back for giving me a black eye!" He knelt down in front of her and grinned.

Katara spat in his face.

He wiped it away with the back of his hand, "Kittens got claws." He informed his friend.

"She has got teeth too, so don't stick anything in her mouth." Said the bender, pointing to one of his now bandaged arms where Katara had bit him as they were being shackled.

Realization of what kind of trouble dawned in Katara's mind, and apparently, in Zuko's too, He surged to his feet, somehow, dragging her with him, and whirled.

"Don't you fucking touch her you lowlifes!!" he inhaled, ready to blast a lungful of fire directly into Jheb's face, but the swordsman punched him hard before he could finish, knocking him off his feet.

Katara was yanked backwards and pulled down to the floor by a hundred and seventy pounds of stunned fire bender. Zuko grunted as she landed on top of him, sandwiching him between her and the floor.

Jheb dropped to his knees and dodged a kick to his head. He caught both Katara's legs and wrenched them apart.

"FUCKING KEEP YOUR SLIMY HANDS OFF HER!!" Zuko breathed a mouthful of fire out, but it just harmlessly hit the wall, he couldn't get a good enough lungful of air with the chains, the chest wound, and the terrified, struggling water bender on top of him, "I'LL BURN YOU TO DUST IF YOU SO MUCH AS-"

Jheb leaned all his weight onto Katara and started kissing her neck. The extra weight on the Fire Lord made him dissolve into coughs. Katara hissed, his stubbly beard scratching her neck unpleasantly. She groped with her hands and found Zuko's, and laced her finger's with his, squeezing hard in terror.

"You're not even going to unchain her?" The bender looked amused, still nursing his bottle.

"I always wanted to be in a threesome." Jheb joked, rocking his hips into Katara's, making sure she was painfully aware of his erection, and making sure that each thrust slammed Zuko hard into the ground.

Zuko growled loudly, but gave Katara's hand a squeeze. Jheb had started groping around under her top for the waistband of her pants, and Katara took the opportunity to knee him hard in the stomach. He grunted, but managed to yank the cloth off, and tossed it to the side, then went to work on her bindings.

"Ugh, she's got her cycle." Jheb said, throwing the bindings back onto her lap, "I don't know if I am THAT horny."

The bender laughed from across the room as though it was the funniest thing ever, flopping onto his back.

"Well then slut," He leaned in close, leering at her, nose to nose, "Maybe we'll continue this-"

Katara didn't hear him, her mind flicked back to something Suki had said to her, months before.

"_The Kyoshi Warriors always fight unarmed." She had said, as Sokka offered her a sword to take into battle, "A man will always underestimate an unarmed woman, and we use that to our advantage."_

"_But they're probably stronger than you, how do you get around that?" Katara had asked._

"_Oh, come with me, I'll teach you some moves."_

Aiming carefully, she head butted his nose, the bone snapped, and then rammed upwards into his brain.

Jheb collapsed on top of her, blood oozing from his noze. She could hear Zuko struggling to breathe underneath her, and tried to roll the swordsman off her.

"Oi, Jheb! You can't pass out yet! We have to wait up for the messenger hawk to return with instructions." His partner yelled, standing up and walking over.

Katara tripled her efforts, and somehow managed to roll them both onto their side. Zuko immediately breathed a blast of fire at the bender, who disbursed it, but forgot he had a bottle in his hand, which burst into flames.

The Bender shrieked and dropped to the floor, rolling to put the fire out. While he was distracted, the two prisoners struggled to their feet.

"You fucking spoiled brat!!" The Bender yelled, still drunk, smoldering, and carrying the shattered end of his bottle. He charged at them, and Katara leaned forward hard, and Zuko used the momentum to kick the man hard in the chin. He went up and back, then landed on his head with a sickening thunk on the rock floor.

Katara felt the tears well up in her eyes, her body coming off it's adrenaline rush, she felt humiliated, covered with blood (Both her's and Jheb's) and half naked, still chained to the Fire Lord. Zuko must have felt her torso start to shake because he laced one hand into hers and squeezed.

"We have to find the key to the chain before any more men show up." He tried to sound matter of fact, but his voice broke as he talked, "I think its in the bender's front pocket. Kneel down."

Katara complied, and let him feel around for it, she closed her eyes, counting to ten, trying to compose herself, then felt Zuko move his hand up to the lock, dragging her's with it, and after a moment, the chain's loosened and fell away. Zuko twisted and pivoted, and Katara felt the cuffs twist, and she realized he was facing her back, and flipping through the key ring.

Once her hands were free, Katara made a dash for her cloths and bindings cleaning herself up as best she could before putting herself back together.

Zuko was standing at the mouth of the cave, keeping watch, and Katara followed him out of the cave.

"We should find your Emu Horse, I doubt it's gone far."

Katara nodded.

The walk was short back to the path, and Katara's mare had not, in fact, gone anywhere, it was laying down, curling it's neck across the carcass of Zuko's lowing mournfully.

"Maybe you should have been nicer to him while he lived." Zuko informed her, taking the reigns and pulling her up. In a few minutes, he and Katara had transferred his things to her saddlebags, and mounted up.

Katara wrapped her arm's around the fire lord's torso, not feeling up to arguing that it was her mare, so she should be the one steering.

"She can't carry both of us far, so let's try to get as much distance between us and the guerrillas."

"Zuko?"

"Mhm?"

"Why didn't we take a company of guards if there are Azula supporters after you?"

Zuko sounded sheepish, "I figured with a water bender strong enough to take down Azula herself, we wouldn't need any bodyguards. How did you lose your bending?!"

Katara frowned, "I'm not sure, but I think I might know some people who might. We're making a quick detour, head for the swamp land, South of Omashu."

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**Alright, hope you enjoyed it! **

**Anyone else think it's weird that Suki would show up at the battle of the century without a weapon? Talk about underdressed.**

**Anyways, R&R, questions, comment's suggestions.  
**


	6. Chapter 6: The Ferry

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: PG-13

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Pairing:** Zutara

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 6**

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Even though she had not slept well two nights before, and they had traveled hard all night and day, and well into the night again, Katara couldn't sleep. She lay in her tent and stared up at the cloth and fretted. Every few minutes she would unsuccessfully try to bend the water from her skin, and then lay back down. It was the second night that she had no bending, and it was wearing away at her nerves.

She found herself jumping at every shadow, expecting ill intentioned men to materialize out of the woodwork. She kept hearing sticks crack, and animal's moving, and she resolved to get a dagger or sword or something the next chance she got, bending or no bending. The moon was only the tiniest sliver, and offered no light, her tent was pitch black inside, and Katara was feeling a little too shook up and vulnerable to be alone in the dark.

They had not built a fire that night, the steady drizzle had soaked all the wood, and since she could not bend the water out of it, they had no dry tinder. Finally, at what Katara estimated must be three in the morning, she gave up on sleep and opened the flap of her tent. A few feet away she could see Zuko's silhouetted in his tent, he was fire bending with one hand, and what appeared to be reading something with the other.

"Zuko?" She tapped the fabric of the door, "Can I come in?"

"Yeah . . ." she heard, and she pulled the tent open and crawled in.

"Cant sleep either?" She sat down facing him. He was shirtless, sitting cross legged with a map of the earth kingdom in his lap.

"Not a wink, still no bending?" the flame in his hand flickered out, plunging them back into darkness.

"Nope . . ."

"I don't like it . . . we are a good two weeks from the swamp with only one Emu Horse."

Katara nodded, "Maybe we should go back to Ba Sing Se?"

Zuko shook his head, "I don't know, I think we are less than a day from the ferry near the serpent's pass, we can stock up there."

Katara pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them, "Well, maybe things will be clearer in the morning." She rested her chin on her knees, sleep finally starting to find her.

"Maybe."

They fell silent again, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Zuko," Katara tried to think of the best way to broach the topic, "Do you mind if . . . I mean, you can say no, but I was thinking . . . and don't get the wrong impression, I was wondering if I could . . . You know . . . I could . . . crash with you?"

"Go get your sleeping bag."

Katara could hear the amusement in his voice, and it annoyed her, she was about to tell him off, but the idea of three or four more hours alone in the dark changed her mind quickly.

"I'll be right back."

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"No, he left two days ago." Iroh said serving Mai tea, he could tell that she was livid, but kept her expression neutral, "Him and Katara rode out for Omashu together. They should be about halfway there by now, they had two very fast emu horses. You could probably meet them there."

"You said he rode out with Katara?" Mai couldn't help but remember what Azula had said about the water bender, "I thought he came to visit you, why did he suddenly run off with the water bender?!"

Iroh patted her hand, "They are looking for his mother, they were going to go get the Avatar and fly back to the Fire Nation. My Nephew decided it wasn't safe to fly in these storms, I am surprised that you managed to make it here without damaging the airship."

Mai looked out the window, she could tell Iroh was reprimanding her for risking her life just to chase her boyfriend, but she didn't pay any attention. She wasn't going to worry about the lower class crew.

"Thank you for the tea." She said, standing, "I believe I will try to meet them at Omashu."

"Very well, Mai." Iroh gave a small bow, "Be safe, I fear the storms will get worse before they get better."

Mai walked for several minutes, trying to clear her head, then the sky opened up and it started pouring again, she ran for cover on one of the porches of the shops. In fact, everyone on the street did, and huddling in close to the upper ring shoppers, Mai started hearing bits of their conversations.

"No, honest to the spirits, he was breathing into her hands, it was so cute!!" one of the girl's giggled.

"Really? I saw when they kissed, they were so sweet, the Fire Lord and . . . Mai is her name?" another one asked.

"No!" a third one hissed, positively beside herself with the juiciness of the gossip, "Kioko was at the welcome banquet, she said it was the Princess of the Southern Water Tribe!! That girl, Catarina,"

"Its Katara," the first corrected, and then scoffed, "He must be slumming it, the Southern Water Tribe is in RUINS, or so I hear, only a few hundred people living there, trying to rebuild it. She isn't a princess of much. I bet it's just for show."

"You think he was here searching for a wife?" the second said, her voice dreamy. "I wonder if he noticed me during the procession . . ."

"Well, the Earth King is planning on taking a Fire Nation Noblewoman for his wife eventually; I think the rulers are trying to intermarry, to help sustain the peace."

"So they really kissed?!" the first one clasped her hands together, "It's so romantic, like out of a ballad, she is born with nothing, and becomes a Master Water Bender, and wins the attentions of the newly crowned Fire Lord!!"

"Kyoko said that she was shy, that she barely spoke to anyone but the Fire Lord and his Uncle, even though most of the girls were being very friendly. She said he looked thoroughly seduced though, the way he was looking at her, the intensity of it all."

"Maybe it's just what happens when a Master Fire Bender and a Master Water Bender get-"

Mai had had enough, she forged out into the rain, ignoring that the rain was making the liner around her eyes drip down her face. It hid the fact that she was blinking back tears.

_Was Azula right?!_ She thought, _Is he in love with that water bender?! I don't believe him!! How could he do this to me?! Making out with a water bender in front of all Ba Sing Se!! It's humiliating!! It's DISGUSTING!! She is a peasant from the southern wastelands!! I'm Fire Nation Nobility!! What does she have that I don't?!_

Mai shooed her attendant's out of her room and drew the curtains, sitting down in the dark and brooding angrily. Out of all the stupid things he had done like writing her a break up note or breaking into her uncle's prison, this took the cake.

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When Katara woke up, the next morning, or perhaps afternoon, (Everything was a wet, dull grey that made time telling difficult) to the sound of pouring rain and thunder rumbling, the first thing she noticed was that there was an arm wrapped around her waist, and a fire bender spooning her. The second thing she noticed was that, even through both their sleeping bags, parts of him, were very happy to see her.

She shifted, starting to sit up, but his grip on her tightened, and he pulled her back into his chest, murmuring something about badger moles into her neck.

"Zuko," she whispered, shaking his shoulder gently, "What time is it?"

"Shhh . . ." he mumbled, half conscious, "No, no, no . . . . g' back t' sle'ep . . ." he buried his nose into her hair and took a deep breath.

_Is he smelling me? _Katara thought, _Weird . . . . _and then, _When was the last time I washed? I hope I don't smell gross!_

Katara wondered just how tired he was, she had never seen him sleep so late, but he had looked exhausted when she had first seen him in Iroh's tea shop, and he had looked worse and worse every day. She had noticed the dark circle under his good eye, and the weariness in his voice. He must not have been sleeping, stressing over his family, his country, and his girlfriend. The thought of Mai made her wonder if Zuko realized if he was not in fact, in bed with his girlfriend, and the thought made her stomach sink. She wondered briefly if Zuko thought that she was as pretty as the raven haired noblewoman.

Katara dismissed it, pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind, and reminded herself that she had a perfectly lovely boyfriend, who was the most powerful bender in the world, and a great boy. Unfortunately, she couldn't shake the feeling that, although he was a boy and a friend, he would never quite qualify in her mind as a 'boyfriend'.

Relaxing, she let herself drift, not having the heart to drag him out of bed when he was finally sleeping peacefully. She was never opposed to spending more time in bed, and, cuddled back against him. It was . . . arousing, she realized, to be in bed with Zuko, and as soon as she acknowledged it in her head, her body responded.

She felt hot and cold, she wanted to flee, she wanted to stay and kiss him. She lay there debating with herself for at least a sixth of a candle mark, and then decided that if there was attraction, there was attraction, she would do her best to ignore it, and go on pretending like they were friends and everything was okay.

She realized that she must have drifted back to sleep, because what seemed like a moment later, a washed and dressed Zuko was shaking her gently.

"Come on Katara, wake up, its past nine."

Katara yawned, "But we were up till four in the morning . . ."

Zuko pulled the covers off her, but Katara grabbed them and yanked back, starting an impromptu tug of war between the two. It suddenly became very clear how much strength he had lost in the two and a half months of house rest.

"Come on, I rise with the moon!"

"Well, I rise with the sun!"

The statement made Katara blush, and she let go of the blankets, "I noticed!!"

The implications flew over Zuko's head, "Well, I'm not really sure why I slept so late today," he gave her a glare, "Your water bending habits must be rubbing off on me." That sounded like an excuse, even to him.

"I don't think bending can rub off on people." Mentioning her water bending made her think about it again, and she scrambled past him out of the tent, into the rain. A sweep of her hands, and all the droplets followed, her bending had returned.

Zuko stepped out of his tent, two of his bags packed, and started for the drenched emu horse than was grazing nearby.

"Zuko ZUKO!!" She was practically jumping for joy, "I've got my bending back! It's back!!" she threw her arms around him, "See?" She bent the rain up and away, so they were no longer being soaked by it.

"That's great!" Zuko looked relieved that she wasn't practically defenseless anymore.

"Come on, I bet we can make it to the ferry in no time!"

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The ferry was a huge old structure, of creaking wood, and a huge paddle in the back. Since there was no longer a rush of refugees trying to reach the capitol, they had stopped being so meticulous about the passengers they ferried. It sat silently at the dock, bobbing up and down, waiting for it's passengers to begin loading.

Zuko and Katara had split up.

Zuko went to the hawkery and was sending what must have been hundreds of messenger hawks, Katara figured, since it was taking him so long. She stood watching the Emu Horse and their bags, amusing herself by plaiting it's grey featherlike fur into long braids down it's neck.

"Well, I sent two hawks to Ba Sing Se, one to my uncle, warning of the attack, and telling him to watch his back, and one to the Earth King saying the same, telling him that he might wish to discuss safety issues with the council of five for his new wife."

"The Earth King is getting married?"

Zuko nodded, "To the youngest daughter of my mother's eldest sister."

"So . . . your cousin."

"I sent a hawk ahead to Omashu, saying we were heading there, that we were planning to cut straight through the Si Wong Desert, but that's just in case the message gets intercepted, were actually going to skirt the Si Wong Desert, and then follow the river, the one that Haru's village is on, south west, and then go through the mountain pass and get there, then we can head South to the swamp for a few days."

"So it's an arranged marriage between your cousin and the Earth King?"

"Yes, she seems excited about it though, she'll be queen of the entire Earth Kingdom . . . and I sent a hawk to the Fire Nation to Mai, tell me, do you think it sounds weird, I said 'I should not have left you, I needed some time to cool off, and I thought I would visit my uncle for a day or two, something has come up though, and it might take a li-'"

"How can you set up an arranged marriage?! She was your cousin!! What if she is miserable!!"

Zuko blinked, "what are you talking about!? This has nothing to do with you! My cousin could have turned the offer down, but she is the closest eligible relative I have, and considered it her duty!"

"Maybe I just don't like the idea of arranged marriages!!"

"Well, people like us, Lords, Princesses, Kings, sometimes we don't have the luxury of being with the person we love!!"

Something about the way he said that made her stop, like, he didn't think he would get to marry the person he loved either.

Katara thought back to the conversation he had been having with his uncle, _Is he being pressured to marry too?_

"Sometimes," He forged on, "We have to do what's best for our country, what will be best for our children, and their children! And I know, it sucks. Believe me, I know, Hakoda and Arnook are talking about your future a lot, especially behind your back, but, Katara, if there is one thing I know about you, is you know what you want, and you go for it, whether its rescuing a boatload of earth benders, or destroying an eniter fire nation factory."

Katara blinked back tears, _Stupid mood swings! _She thought.

Zuko paled, "I didn't mean to yell at you, its just, I don't know, I guess I kind of feel like were in the same boat."

Katara rubbed her eyes, embarrassed to be crying in front of him.

The Emu Horse looked from her to him and then grunted and bit him in the side.

Zuko hollered and jumped, clutching the delicate skin of his side, "Oh no, I am not traveling with TWO moon maddened females!! I don't care what cycle you're on," he pointed at the beast's nose, "suck it up!"

The Master Water Bender's tears turned to a glare.

"I'm going to go get another Emu Horse from the stable, just . . . just channel all that-" he made a motion to signify her aura of anger, "- into guarding our things." He pointed to the bags, ". . . . but don't kill anyone." He added as an afterthought.

Katara made no comment to even show she heard him, but turned back to pet her mare, giving him the silent treatment.

"What is it with girls and Emu Horses?!" Zuko asked himself as he walked over to the head groom.

"Now what will ya be needin' today Sir?" The handler looked up from his list.

"I need an Emu Horse . . . a male one!"

The handler blinked, but nodded, "You heading south or west?"

"Does it matter?"

"Well," the man motioned for him to follow back into the stable. "We gots ones that'er good at climbin, if yer headin for the mountains, and we got a different breed that'er much more resilient, they can go fer longer without water, don't matter too much, seein as how they both got great stamina, but it's cruel to take a stallion outa his natural environment, ya know?"

Zuko wondered if 'life' qualified as a natural environment.

"I'll take one for the desert. My friend and I are heading straight through it to Omashu." Zuko had told the clerk at the hawkery that too, and he hoped the men would gossip about two unsupervised teenagers riding through the desert together, and make a false trail for any Ozai supporters.

"The little olive skinned filly over there? Yur a lucky man, prolly be double lucky tonight, that lassie has been fumin, I could hear her from here!! She'll be wanting to take it out on someone later tonight." The man winked, "I gots some good quality riding crops if ye wanna take a gander."

Zuko found himself considering it, "You think if she got out some sexual frustrations she would be less cranky to be around the other ninety percent of the time? It might be worth it."

"Well, I canna make yeh no promises on the nature of yer gal, only your emu horse, but, I know that both a emu filly and a human filly are too exhausted to bite after a long hard ride."

Zuko glanced back over at Katara who was sitting, picking at her shoes in a very Toph like manner.

"If yeh don mind me askin, what happened? Yer eloping together? Gunna get married? Or. . . ye running away and not getting married? Tha's even More scandalous!! Not that I would tell anyone, scouts honor!" The man said.

"I'd rather not say, just a desert Emu Horse and tack, and a riding crop, for the stallion."

"Eheheehe! Man after my own heart, never whip the fillies, I says, Omasu? That sound's good, though seems quicker to charter some sand bender's ta give ya a ride in one of em . . . sand boat things . . . . the sand sailors, but whatever floats your boat, eh?" The man laughed at his bad pun, "can I have your name sir? It's for our inventory. Of course, for an extra five coins, it's no questions asked."

"The names are Lee and . . ." Zuko tried to remember the false name Katara had chosen, "Salacia." _Women were weird_.

When he got back, leading his palomino Emu Horse, Katara was helping the men load their luggage.

He touched her elbow gently to get her attention, "When do we leave?"

"The boat is leaving in half a candle mark." She told him, looking annoyed, but no longer raging, "Why'd you get such a flashy emu horse? It's going to make my mare feel self conscious."

"I don't think your mare has feelings, Sala, You're really running out of things to pick fights about, aren't you?"

She raised her eyebrows, surprised he was giving her lip. _Not exactly the kind of lip you had in mind, huh girl?_ Katara thought to herself, then realized she had forgotten what she was going to come back with.

And the question he had just asked.

"Just give me his reigns, I'll put him below deck."

They were one of the last people to board, so Katara had no sooner loosened the girth of Zuko's stallion, when she felt the boat start to move. The up and down motion was so familiar to her, that it instantly made her think about canoeing with Sokka in the South Pole.

The Emu Horses looked terrified and Katara had to scramble to get out of the way of two spooking avian equines.

Stumbling over his own half undone girth, the palomino crashed into the door of the stall and Katara heard a crunch. She didn't like the sound of that crunch.

When the two mounts had calmed down, Katara checked the door.

"Oh, Fuck! Of all the things!"

The door was jammed.

She hauled on it. No Luck.

She jiggled it. No Luck.

She hauled on it again, only harder than the first time. No Luck.

She kicked it. No Luck.

"This is ALL your fault." She informed the palomino stallion, it looked back at her, confused, understanding she was angry at it, but not comprehending why. It hung it's head.

"HeeeEEEeeeeEEeeey!" She called down the hallway, all the grooms were gone.

"I don't care how handsome or new and exciting you are," she went on, feeling better now that she had something to lecture that at least had the decency to look ashamed, "This better not be a trend, getting me into trouble. Just like . . . Lee, I'm around him for five minutes and suddenly the poles switch places on me! I bet he picked you because you matched his eyes, just what he needs, right? Another accessory to make him look alluring . . . Not that I think he is alluring. I mean, I like him as a friend, a friend I am occasionally compelled to kiss now and again, but that's not the point!!"

_What is the point?_ She thought

"The POINT is," Katara continued, "That me and him are not SINGLE, and even though I am with a . . . petite young man, and he is with a . . . ." Katara strained to think of a nice thing to call Mai, "standoffish aristocrat, and he is honorable, and I would never do anything to hurt Aang . . . and I don't even know how he feels about me, I bet he hates me, I was so mean to him! It's just a silly crush right?! I'm only physically attracted to him, right?!"

Katara looked at the Emu Horses expectantly, they looked back, and then her mare made a snorting noise and then began scratching her ears on the stallion.

"Yea, well I wish all life's problems were solvable by some vigorous ear scratching." Katara said wryly.

"I don't know," Said a voice behind her, and Katara whirled around, "sounds like your problem could be easily solved by a 'vigorous ear scratching'."

"'Vigorous' being the operative word."

Two stable boys were leaned against the bars of the stall, watching her and eating their lunches. They looked thoroughly amused.

"Where were you guys?! The door is stuck."

"Getting lunch." Said one

"Yea, we know." Said the other.

"Well," Katara spluttered, "Why didn't you let me out . . . or say something, or . . . SOMETHING!?"

"It looked like you were having an epiphany." Said one.

"We didn't want to interrupt." Said the other.

"Well, you need to let me out now!" she said, "My friend, Lee, who is my friend, is probably looking for me."

"You know," Said the first,

"Since we have your undivided attention," interjected the second.

"Problems of attraction, they don't just go away." Said the first, "You're not going to wake up one morning and not be attracted to this Lee guy. In fact, every day you're going to wake up and be MORE attracted to him, without, you know, extenuating circumstances like their losing their figure or betraying your trust, or extensive facial burns."

"He's ALREADY betrayed my trust, and he IS starting to lose his figure, and he HAS extensive facial burns!!" Katara fumed, yanking on the jammed door.

"Wow, you got it bad," laughed the second, "Might take more than a vigorous ear scratching. Might take a belly rub too."

"Oh, I looove those belly rubs . . ." the first said, waggling his eyebrows.

"You want any tips on how to rub a man right, Emu Horse whisperer girl?"

"That wasn't no whispering that I was hearing."

"You know I really like it when a woman uses her tongue to-"

Katara uncorked her water skin, "That's it, You two better let me out of here right now, or I swear by the spirits I'll knock the door down and kick both your asses!!"

"Okay, okay! Steady on!" Said the first, "Gen, go get the screwdriver. This one has a temper!"

Gen pouted, "I got the screwdriver last time."

"There's never BEEN a last time!!"

"Maybe not with YOU." Gen trotted out of the room.

"Now, as I was saying," Continued the first, "You're just going to want him more and more until you either have to bar yourself from seeing him for fear you'll jump him, or, you'll give in to the temptation some night, years from now, when you both have had a little too much to drink, and- oh, thanks Gen," he started to unscrew the bolts, "and you just throw caution to the wind, and end up hurting the people you both love."

"hahaha, look who's talking," Gen laughed, "This man whore has a girlfriend on both sides of the lake."

"I can't help it that lots of ladies want a piece of me." He puffed out his chest, "I'm a very naughty stable boy."

The bolt clanged to the floor, and Katara shoved the door open.

"Um, thanks." She said before fleeing.

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"Where is that girl?!" Zuko had started looking for her half a candle mark earlier. She was always in the last place he looked it seemed, so he started with the least obvious places.

"If I was a water bender, where would I go? He checked the deck, the cafeteria, the lounge, and even the Capitan's deck, even though he wasn't supposed to be there. Not being allowed to do something never stopped Katara before.

Finally, Zuko found her as she was bolting up the stairs from the hold.

"Where have you been?!" I've been looking EVERYWHERE!!"

"I was with the Emu Horses where ELSE would I be?!" Katara glared, then looked at the bowls he was holding, "What's that?"

"Lunch." Zuko shrugged.

Katara took the bowl from him and grabbed his sleeve with her free hand, dragging him towards the deck, "While you were eating lunch, I was getting a sex talk from two handlers!!"

"Well, you should listen, they're probably good with their hands."

"and ALL this time- Wait, . . . Lee, did you just make a Joke?"

Zuko gave her the smallest of smiles, "Maybe."

"Alright, since that took guts you're spared the scolding," Katara returned the grin, a dirty joke and a smile? From Zuko? Without any prompting? She quickly squelched the hope that flared in her chest that he was trying to flirt.

"Thanks for snagging me some lunch,"

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**I've always imagined Katara's Emu Horse as a dapple, because I have never met a dapple horse that was not a spaz.**

**Okay Chapter 6, It turned out to be longer than I thought it would be, I thought I would have some space for Sokka, Azula, and Aang, but ah well, next chapter. **

**Thanks for all the reviews, I hope this update is soon enough! Hahahaha, any sooner and it would still have spelling mistakes!**

**-Burning ice**


	7. Chapter 7: The Dancing Dragon

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: PG-13

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Pairing:** Zutara

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 7**

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"Princess Azula, you have another visitor."

Azula grinned as her head lolled backwards against the wall, "Who is it now? Another traitor?" Azula laughed, her voice sing song yet psychotic, "I still have the dagger she left in my back to kill her with."

"No, its not Mai, Ty Lee, or your brother, she says she is a professor."

"You should mind your manners, Azula." Ursa reminded her, "Be on your best behavior."

"Shut up!!"

"So you don't want me to send her in?"

"Yes!! Please, I yearn for knowledge." Azula's voice dripped with sarcasm, her head still leaning against the wall.

The nurse unlocked the door and let another lady in, she wore the school uniform, her black hair covered with a deep red cloak.

Azula lifted her head from the wall, shifting and sitting up so she was no longer collapsed against it.

"Some privacy for me and my guest!" Azula ordered the nurse, who gladly turned and fled the room.

"Princess Azula, my most gifted student." The woman said, kneeling down in front of the prostate royal.

Azula's insanity clouded eyes widened and seemed to clear. She glanced over at the nurse, who was locking the door from the outside.

"I didn't think you would come."

"I have brought you a gift," The Professor said and reached into her robes, she withdrew a red and white flower.

Azula looked surprised, "A Lady's Slipper? Am I to be executed then?!" her expression turned serene again.

"No."

"She's protecting me isn't she?! Tell her I hate her! Tell her I'm going to find her and kill her!!" Azula's pupils shrank, and she grinned, showing off all her teeth.

"I'm sure I don't know who you're talking about,"

Azula began giggling, "I'm going to find her, I'm going to shred her, I am going to burn her alive outside the palace gates, a gift for my brother, she always loved him more. She only protects me as a courtesy to my gender and bloodline."

Her professor shook her head, "You've broken your eternal vow of protecting the balance, supported the war effort, disobeyed direct orders from your superiors, and attempted unauthorized murder. Do you have an explanation?"

"Oh," Azula shrugged, smiling innocently, "Father made me a better offer."

"If that is your only argument, then I'm afraid you're hereby dishonorably expelled from the Order." Her professor placed the orchid on the floor in front of the crumpled royal.

"I will be the Fire Lord, I will make my Father the phoenix king, I will find my mother and kill her, and I will rip your order out from its roots!!"

"It saddens me you feel that way, Azula . . ." Her professor stood, and walked to the door, then paused and turned "and . . . she did protect you, because of her eloquence, you were spared the sentence of death."

Azula leapt to her feet and darted across the cell, slamming into the closing metal door and banging on it hysterically.

"Tell the fucking bitch I wish I was dead imprisoned here!! DO YOU HERE ME?! YOU THINK I'M NOT DANGEROUS BECAUSE I AM STUCK HERE?!"

She screamed, and backed up, fire bending a blast at the door, then pivoted and kicked it hard. The metal groaned, but didn't budge.

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"No, that's no good either, the balance is off." Zuko put the sword down, "It's too heavy for you anyway, plus, she sheath goes on your back, you already keep your skin there. You should get something small enough that it won't interfere with your bending. You should get a dagger, it won't weigh you down or catch your legs."

"Well, if I need a blade, I'd assume my bending isn't in the picture."

"You'll need to carry it on you at all times though, if your bending gives out, your opponent isn't going to wait while you run to your pack and get out a weapon."

"Okay then, Mr. Expert, you pick something out for me." Katara crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes, and raised an eyebrow. Zuko realized it was a dare, not a request, and gulped, knowing he would never hear the end of it if he picked out something that wasn't absolutely perfect.

He scanned the displays, thinking about what he knew about her, "You need something small, and as light as possible so it won't weigh you down. I've watched your technique closely, and you pivot a lot, it will throw you off balance to have a heavy weight strapped to your hip or back, and if I remember correctly, in water bending, balance is everything." He picked up a bowie knife, examined the hilt, then put it back down.

"You'll want something more for stabbing than for slashing, you'd lose quickly in a duel, you're not trained in swordplay. You want to be able to strike a crippling blow right off the bat, and stabbing will get you maximum damage with minimum effort. I would pick this one for you."

He picked up a dagger and unsheathed it, "A kris knife, nine inches, with a saber toothed moose lion tusk hilt." He held it out, "Seven luks, so you can maximize the size of your stab wound without adding weight. It's also damn intimidating, hopefully intimidating enough so that you'll never have to use it."

Katara was impressed in spite of herself, and reached out and took it by the hilt, as soon as it was in her hand though, she felt ill. It was not a tool for fighting, it was a tool for killing. A tool specifically designed to kill in the most efficient way possible.

She groped for the sheath.

"Does the lady know what she wants?" The blacksmith walked over, then studied her, stroking his mustache thoughtfully, "I know that look, one that's half terror, half nausea, first weapon huh? Is that the one?"

"Well, you want that one?" Zuko reached out, touching her shoulder reassuringly.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, Katara nodded.

"A Fire Nation forged Kris Knife? These are nasty, you sure you wouldn't want something daintier? I have a one that is made to look like a ladies fan, got a few poison holes and everything."

"No, this one is good, it's very . . . practical."

Zuko gave her a wry smile, putting both hands on her shoulder, "Uncle once told me that the blade we chose reflects us, said my double broadswords reflected who I was."

The blacksmith lifted the dagger out of her hands, and took it back to the far counter, "I'll get you a belt then, one that fits the sheath."

Katara felt him press gently on her shoulders, steering her forward, and her legs responded, stepping wobbly kneed toward the far counter.

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Katara yawned as she brought an armful of dry wood back to the campsite, it was her third trip, and she figured they had enough to last the night and following morning. They had rode hard southwest for two days, and she was tired and sore, emu horses were not anywhere near as fast or convenient as sky bison. Luckily her moon time had ended, and that had lifted her spirits, and the overcast sky was looking as though it would be clear by morning.

They had reached the Cave of Two Lovers, and decided to camp out in its mouth that night, then follow the crystals through the following morning. If all went as planned, they should reach Omashu by the day after tomorrow.

Katara stretched, her joints popping awkwardly, and daydreamed about how nice it would be to ride in the sun for a change. Speaking of the sun, she glanced around for Zuko, who had left to water and brush the mounts a while ago. Her stomach twisted in worry, they had not seen any more Ozai supporters with their blue war paint, but nonetheless, she didn't like the idea of splitting up too long.

"Where is that man." She stacked the wood, put her new dagger on her belt, and started down the path that led to the river they had been following, her fingers fiddling with the cork of her water skin.

Around the bend, she heard Zuko swear, she could smell smoke, but no sounds of a fight. She ducked into the underbrush and peered around the side of a tree trunk, trying to catch a glimpse of the fire lord.

The two emu horses grazed peacefully, their halters tied to a rotting log. Zuko stood a few yards away, ankle deep in mud at the river's edge, going through a pattern of movements that Katara recognized as the dancing dragon. With each repetition, he seemed to be getting more and more frustrated, though Katara couldn't really pick out anything wrong, his transitions looked good to her, smooth, well controlled, graceful, sexy.

Katara guiltily looked at her shoes, for about three whole seconds, mainly because when he finished his latest set, he began stripping his top off.

He stretched, and began the movements again, she rested her head against the tree bark, half hypnotized, it was very fascinating, the aggression of his style bending. Again and again he drilled, stepping in the same half circle every time.

Coming again to the final lunge of the sequence, Zuko dropped onto his butt in the mud, pounding the ground with both fists, and then flung himself backwards, staring up at the sky.

"Hey! Sparky," She teased, trotting forward before he could notice that she had been watching him, "I thought you were brushing off the Emu Horses."

"I'm done." He muttered, scowling.

"Oh," Katara sat down next to him, "You've been practicing fire bending?"

"Mhm."

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing . . ." Zuko rolled onto his side, facing away from her.

"You were doing that dragon dance, right?" Katara put her hand down on the ground opposite her and leaned over him, refusing to be boxed out so easily.

"It's called the dancing dragon."

"Well, teach it to me."

He turned and looked up at her like she was crazy, "It's a fire bending form."

"I know that, teach me anyways!" She grabbed his arm and hauled, getting him most of the way to his feet, "I'll dance with you."

"The only person I have ever done it with is Aang." Zuko seemed reluctant.

"So?" Katara undid her belt and started pulling her top off.

"So . . . ummm . . ." Zuko couldn't help but stare, he had seen her in her bindings a million times, but there was a difference between seeing her in her bend in her bindings and watching her strip right in front of him. She had forgone the belly-undershirt for a length of bindings that were wrapped tightly around her chest, almost flattening it, probably because the Emu Horses were so bouncy, he looked away as she started to pull down her leggings, pretending to take no interest in the striptease.

"So, this is the first stance?" Katara began without him, raising her right leg and bringing both her arms up. Zuko shook himself out of his trance, took a step back, and mirrored her.

"No no, you're doing it like a water bender. Your chin up higher, tilt your ribcage up, get off the ball of your foot, and make your arms less fluid."

Katara bit back a snippy retort about her arms having bones in them, and wondered how he could bark out mistakes and stay on one foot like that.

"Okay, now step to your right and sink down into the stance. Good. Drop your right arm so it's parallel to your leg. Don't slouch over, and keep your ribcage up! Now shift your weight, and reverse your lunge, straighten your arms again, so they're parallel to the floor. No, don't look at me, just fix your stance."

Katara was starting to feel bad for Aang, having to endure months of this to learn fire bending.

"Now you want to step and pivot, yes, bring your right foot all the way around and sink down, further, further, Katara, your knees should be at a right angle, and keep your ribcage up!!"

Katara sank down further into the stance, her sore emu horseback riding muscles screaming in protest.

"Its UP!" Katara snapped back, "It doesn't go any higher!!"

"Not like that, bring it forward,"

He stepped out of his stance and grabbed the sides of her chest, tugging on it in an attempt to pull her core into the proper alignment. She grabbed his wrists and yanked his hands off her, stepping back. Unfortunately the muddy bank gave way under her weight, and she found herself skidding backwards as the ground underneath her dissolved.

She swore and let go of Zuko's wrists, not wanting to take him down with her, but the bank was collapsing and they both fell backwards into the river. Almost reflexively, Katara swept her arm in an arc, most of the river flooded towards her and broke their fall, then receded like an ocean wave, leaving them sprawled in less than a foot of water.

Katara raised her submerged head, spat out a mouthful of river water, coughed violently, and propped herself up.

"Ow," she muttered.

"Shit." He swore.

Zuko lifted his head from her shoulder and propped himself up on his hands, unharmed. She had broken his fall, the water broke their impact and then she was the one that landed on the stones at the river bottom, he had landed on top of her.

"Are you hurt?" Zuko scanned her for injuries, and although he didn't notice any, he did notice that her hair was plastered all over her face, covering her eyes and escaped from her bun, that there was a smear of mud across her collarbone, a stalk of sea grass sticking to her left arm, and her chest wrap had come undone, and was looped loosely around her waist.

He didn't mean to stare, but he couldn't help it, it was so exotic. Her nipples were a few shades darker than her skin tone, and had white walrus bone piercing through them that were shaped like a half moon. He wondered where else water tribe women adorned themselves, he had never heard Aang mention anything like this, but then again, he and Aang didn't gossip, or maybe Aang had never seen his girlfriend shirtless.

"No . . . well, maybe a bruise or too, but . . . oh fuck." Katara's hand flew to her chest and she let out a little cry of dismay. She pushed the hair out of her face and groped around frantically in the water.

"It's around your waist." Zuko said still looking down at her, then down at herself then kicked himself and belatedly shielded his eyes.

Katara muttered something and snatched it, beginning to rewind the cloth around her torso, her whole face flushed.

Zuko backed off and stood up, still ankle deep in the water, and turned around, muttering apologies. He cringed as he heard the water bender stand, expecting a painful blow to the back of the head, but it never came. Slowly, very slowly he turned around, she was standing there with her hands on her hips, her face unreadable.

"I'm so sorry Katara, I-" he started again, but before he could get far, she began to laugh. She brought her hands up to her face and slumped over, her fit becoming more and more hysterical.

The Fire Lord looked at her entirely perplexed by her reaction, he couldn't for the life of him figure out what was so funny. He glanced over his shoulder, and then back at Katara who was knee deep in the water and looking like she was going to fall over again.

"Oh my goddess," She gasped out, "You should have seen your FACE!"

"What?!" he was starting to feel tired of getting laughed at by her.

"Agni!!" she wheezed, falling to her knees and making a splash, "Total culture shock!!"

Zuko crossed his arms, "Well, excuse me for staring, I didn't know Water Tribe women had such . . . intimate jewelry!!"

Katara was laughing so hard now she wasn't making any noise, her shoulders just shook, and oddly enough, so did the water of the river, pulsing up in random spots.

"Is there anything ELSE I should know?" Zuko could feel his temper starting to rise, "So far you've lost your bending, have had strange mood swings, you've had strange power spikes, and have interesting jewelry traditions!! Is there ANYTHING else I should know?! It sucks having to find out the hard way."

Katara, who had been trying to compose herself, managed to stand up, but his anger seemed to make it even funnier and she dissolved into giggles again.

"What?!" the temperature was starting to climb, and Zuko could feel the fire gathering in his mouth, "What?! Have you gone completely INSANE?!" he slumped and pulled on his hair.

He heard Katara stand and compose herself again, but jumped when he felt her hands on his, gently untangling them from his hair. Then she reached up and plucked a long piece of seaweed out of his hair, and shook it off her hand, letting it fall back into the river.

"You're covered with algae." She informed him, as though it was an explanation as to why he didn't get the joke.

"What's that got to do with anything?!" he yelled as she bent water up around herself to get rid of the mud and plant life, "What was so funny?!"

Katara stepped out of the river and into the mud of the bank, and stooped to pick up her cloths, "I still want to learn the rest of that dancing dragon form, when you get back to camp I'll work on your chest." she said evasively, and started back to camp.

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"Seven . . . Eight . . . Nine . . . TEN!!" Aang finished his double leg lifts, then let go of the branch he had been holding on to.

"Oi," Toph was sitting on a fountain nearby, picking out the dirt from her feet, "Do you have a Fire Bending lesson with Jeong Jeong?"

"Not for another hour and a half." Aang trotted over and plopped down beside her.

"Well sit up straight Twinkle Toes, somebody is coming to get you," Toph kept her attention focused on her feet.

In a few minutes, a servant came scuttling around the bend, "Avatar Aang, the Lady Mai has arrived in an airship, she requests an audience with you and the Fire Lord, we tried explaining that the fire lord is not in residence."

Aang stood, looking worried, "We better make sure she is okay!"

"What's tall, dark, and gloomy doing all the way out here?" Toph fell in step beside him, "She doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would visit somewhere 'for old times sake'."

Aang shrugged, then realized that she couldn't see it, "I don't know."

They hurried up to the palace, and found the stressing noblewoman pacing back and forth in one of the parlors.

"Where is Zuko?" she demanded, crossing her arms.

"Zuko?" Aang glanced at Toph and sat down on one of the couches.

"Zuko and Katara, has they gotten here yet?"

"Please sit and calm down Mai, He is coming here?" Aang questioned.

"Yes, Iroh said that they set out from Omashu by Emu Horse a week ago, have they gotten here yet?"

"Obviously not Gloomy, They probably would have barely made it if they rode hard all the way straight, but the weather is horrible, I bet its slowing them down, They'll probably get here in a day or two."

Mai gave Toph a forced polite nod, which the girl didn't see anyways.

Aang looked back and forth, "What's upsetting you anyways? Did he do something wrong?"

Mai countered with another question, "Has Katara been acting strange lately?"

Aang thought a little, "Actually yes, she has been. I feel like there is something that she isn't telling me."

Mai paled, her already light skin turning almost white, "They kissed in Ba Sing Se."

"What?!" Aang shot up, then turned to Toph, "Is that true?!"

"Well," Toph scrunched up her nose, "Mai thinks it's true, that's all I can tell . . . but, I don't know, that doesn't sound like Sugar Queen,"

Aang looked panicked.

"Alright Gloomy, what happened exactly?" Toph demanded, standing up and crossing her arms.

Mai thought back, "Me and Zuko had a fight, he took one of those high speed balloons and ran off to see Iroh. While he was in Ba Sing Se there was a banquet and parade, Zuko and Katara rode together on the float, I heard that they were holding hands and kissing!"

"Do you think the person who told you was just messing with you to be cruel?"

"I overheard it, nobody knew I was there."

"I want to hear Katara's side of it." Aang said, crossing his arms, his chest tightening with jealousy. He remembered how much time the two had spent together after they had made up, he remembered how Zuko would always sit next to her if he had the chance. He remembered how Katara used to watch them practice together, he had thought she had been watching him, what if she had been watching Zuko? What if she had only settled for him because Zuko was taken?

"Breathe Twinkle Toes," Toph put an arm around him, "Your heart is pounding out of your chest!!"

Aang felt the avatar state rising, and he fought it, things he hadn't thought about were falling into place. What had happened in the cave under Ba Sing Se? Did they kiss? Was that why she had felt so betrayed when he picked Azula? Why had he chosen her to Fight Azula with him? Why not Toph?! Toph had been crazy about him!

Had they kissed when she healed him? Why had they implied that the two liked each other in the play they saw? Toph had said what they were looking at was true! Why Had Katara been looking through Zuko's attic pictures really? Did she want a picture of him to take?!

Aang's eyes and tattoos began to glow.

Was Zuko the Powerful Bender that Aunt Woo had mentioned? Why had Katara hopped into bed with him and started touching him in the North Pole? Was that something Zuko had taught her? Did Zuko touch her?! The thought of Zuko's hands and mouth on Katara pushed him over, and his consciousness shifted over to the Avatar State, and gravity began to release him.

Someone grabbed him.

He looked down, recognizing Toph.

"You're going to feel really silly if you destroy half of Omashu and it turns out to be a misunderstanding!" her feet began sliding as Aang lifted.

"He really loses control over stuff like this?" Mai looked down her nose, disdainfully.

"Can it, Dark and Gloomy!!" Toph shot over at her, and then looked back at Aang, "Snap out of it! Aang, AANG!!"

Toph let go, dropping back to the floor, and watched as the Avatar turned in midair and shot out the window, a whirlwind ripping through the room as he left.

"Great Job!" Toph yelled at Mai, "He is only thirteen!! I hope you're happy!! He is as miserable as you are now, only he doesn't know how to handle what he is feeling!!"

"Stop being such an overprotective bitch!" Mai said back, angry but stoic, "If he is old enough to have a girlfriend, he is old enough to have his heart ripped out and trampled on by her!"

Toph growled and jabbed out a finger, pointing straight at Mai's nose, "Maybe if you stopped looking for drama to make your life more exciting, I wouldn't have to be so overprotective of my friends!!" she yelled back.

"So it's MY fault, Zuko is a bad boyfriend?!"

"No!" Toph's bellow becoming louder and louder, "But it's YOUR fault that you don't have the SELF RESPECT to LEAVE HIM if being around him MAKES YOU UNHAPPY MORE than it MAKES YOU HAPPY!!"

Mai didn't say anything, Toph took it as an invitation to continue.

"And another thing!! Why aren't you ever happy?! Do you LIKE being MISERABLE?! If you're waiting for Zuko to make you happy, well, he WON'T!!" Toph stamped her foot, "NOBODY EVER WILL!! Only YOU can make YOURSELF happy!! So stop with the Cinderella complex, he ISN'T going to rescue you from your misery and whisk you away on a white emu horse!!"

Toph panted, actually winded from yelling at the goth. Mai walked to the door, maintaining her composure, and paused there.

"No? Well, that's what Aang did for you, isn't it? Whisked you away from your overprotective family on a white sky bison, didn't he? And you love him for it don't you?" Mai's mouth curved into a small smile, "and he doesn't give you the time of day!"

Toph listened to the girl's footsteps echo down the hallway, her blood feeling like Katara had turned it to ice. She stood rooted long after she couldn't pick out Mai's vibrations from anyone else.

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Katara looked up from stirring the rice, Zuko was fiddling with the bracelet that he had gotten Mai, twisting it through his fingers.

"You miss her?" She asked, breaking the silence.

Zuko nodded, but quickly stashed the bracelet back inside his pack.

Katara spooned rice into their two bowls and scooted back to sit next to him, "We'll be back in the Fire Nation in no time." She told him confidently, handing him his food.

"You miss Aang?"

"Yes," Katara played with her food but didn't eat it, "But more than that I miss everyone together, we're probably never going to be together like that again. You rule the Fire Nation, Sokka has to be the Water Tribe's chief, Aang has to travel, keeping the peace, I don't even know what Toph plans to do, I doubt she will go home though. She hates it there."

"What about you?" Zuko sipped his soup.

"I don't know," Katara prodded a hunk of potato root, "I want to help with the reconstruction of the Southern Water Tribe, but if I go back, Dad will want to set me up with a fiancé. Point is, I lived with Sokka, Toph, and Aang for a year, we flew by the seat of our pants, and it's never going to be like that again."

Zuko ladled himself another bowlful of her soup, "Sometimes I miss hunting you guys, traveling around, it was pretty nice."

They sat in silence for several minutes, eating, each lost in their own thoughts.

Katara put her bowl away and sat down next to his bedroll, "Come on, I'll work on your chest."

Zuko scooted over and opened his shirt for her, laying back with his fingers laced behind his head. He closed his eyes and sighed, bracing himself in case her healing went overboard like it had in the tea shop.

Concentrating, Katara guided the water through his system, the muscles were tight from his workout by the river, but they were improving under her regular ministrations. She loosened them and relaxed away the tension, then worked on breaking up the scar tissue, which was a long and monotonous process that required a lot of elbow grease with very little result.

She let her eyes wander to his face, his eyes were closed, his mouth turned up in the smallest of smiles. She remembered when they had first met, he had stepped out of the huge black vessel and demanded the Avatar.

She had despised him.

But she was only human, she had noticed his good looks right away as well.

He crinkled his nose a little and she eased up on the pressure.

She couldn't remember a time where she didn't have strong feelings about Zuko, she either loved him or hated him. They were always close friends or the bitterest of enemies.

She suddenly became aware that she had been leaning closer and closer to his face as her mind wandered. He opened his eyes, and Katara dropped her water, it trickled down his chest and soaked into the cloth of his shirt.

"I . . um . ." Katara started to sit back, but then froze as the Fire Lord reached up to stroke her face, the side of his hands brushing a strand that had gotten caught in her mouth to the corner of her ear, "I'm done." She finished lamely and bent the water back into her skin.

"Thanks," the fire lord said, looking disappointed.

Katara got her bedroll and lay it down next to his, starting to talk about water bending technique and anything else she could think of to break the tension in the air.

"So," Zuko asked after several minutes, "Why is this called the Cave of Two Lovers?"

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**Hahaha, so I know not ALL dapple horses are spazes, I've just never actually had the pleasure of meeting one. I mean, I know Billy Crudup exists, but I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him either . . .**

**Okay Chapter 7, hope it explained all your questions! I was looking at the Avatar map the other day and realized that the Swamp is to the south of Omashu, and the cave of two lovers is to the north. So just make a note of it anyone who has read the unedited chapters, that detail has been changed.**

**Also, anyone who likes my fic might want to check out "A Matter of Honor" by Adridere, its pretty cool, though its from Toph's perspective, so there is a good amount of Taang as well as Zutara.**

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**So . . . . brownie points to anyone who can tell me where the title of the story comes from and how it relates to the plot!**


	8. Chapter 8: The Kiss

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: PG-13

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Pairing:** Zutara, Kataang

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 8**

Zuko woke up the following morning at sunrise, he glanced over to his left where Katara was still passed out. Stretching and yawning, he quickly got out of his bedroll and grabbed his pack, heading to the river to bathe, he still felt dirty from falling in the river yesterday, in more ways than one.

When he got back to the cave mouth, Katara was still asleep, only now sprawled across both her and his mat, her face buried in the saddlebag that he used as a pillow. He bent a fire into the ashes of the previous one and tossed in a few sticks, starting to get some water boiling. He had learned that water benders were a lot easier to drag out of bed if they smelled breakfast.

As he waited, he brushed his hair, borrowing Katara's mirror out of her pack he checked his reflection, trying to brush his bangs out of his face. They were long enough that they fell in his eyes annoyingly, but wouldn't quite tuck behind his ears yet. He wondered briefly if Katara would braid his hair back for him, but he didn't want to admit to her that he didn't know how to do his own hair.

The water had reached a boil.

"Katara." He shook the wheat in the sack so it rattled enticingly, "Its morning."

Katara growled and pulled her blankets over her head, "I was having a dream . . ."

"About the Moon Spirit again?" Zuko ladled boiling water into her bowl and stirred in the wheat.

"Yes, No, there was a man, with the antlers of a wolf stag on his head, he was totally naked and Yue was there and . . . I forget." Katara trailed off, pulling the blankets back off her head.

Zuko held out her breakfast to her, and she reluctantly sat up and accepted it, her hair looking like a magpie rat had made a nest in it. She combed her fingers through it once and then began sipping her meal.

Making himself comfortable, Zuko stretched out beside her on his own bedroll, "So you said you know how to get through these tunnels? You have a map?"

Katara shook her head, "It's in the rocks. They light up in the dark."

The Fire Lord seemed unconvinced, "And?"

"And they only light up along the correct path. Me and Aang found that out, we got lost and our torch ran out."

"So we're going to follow glowing crystals out of this place?" Zuko rinsed out his dish, "It will be just like under Ba Sing Se."

Katara smiled, "You think we'll bond?"

"I think we bonded enough yesterday in the river," the Fire Lord stood, and walked to the cave mouth, "Its too bad, it's the first nice day we have had in over a week and we're going to spend it inside a cave."

"It won't be the whole day, we can probably make it out before the sun sets,"

"This mountain is big though, and it will take us a while to be ready to go." Zuko debated.

"I bet you tomorrow night's firewood collecting that we make it before the sun sets." Katara put her hands on her hips.

"No! You have been spending too much time with Toph!! I am still packing up camp for a week after our last bet. Who knew water tribe women could tie cherry pear stems in knots with their mouths so quickly."

"Live and learn." Katara stood and grabbed her pack, the dirty dishes, and her water skin, then after a pause, stuck her kris knife in her belt, "I'm going to go down to the river to wash up, don't follow me."

"I won't," Zuko rolled his eyes, one accidental flash and he was branded a pervert, "As long as you don't scream or do something to make me think you're in trouble, because if you do, then all bets are off."

"Deal," Katara called over her shoulder as she rounded the bend.

Zuko shook his head and retrieved his saddlebags, packed his things, saddled his mount and loaded it, and then saddled her mount as well. He then sat and waited, wondering how girl's always took so long to bathe, Katara was shorter than him, mathematically, she must have less skin to wash!

Thinking about her skin made him blush, Mai had been so predictable and bored with the whole affair of lovemaking that it had lost its appeal quickly. She rarely touched him, or showed any interest in his body, she would just lay there, an 'are you done yet? I'm bored' expression on her face, no matter how he tried to please her, and the fire nation guards had suggested quite a few tricks. Nothing seemed to excite her, and he had become more and more frustrated, sure that he was doing something wrong, but not having the slightest clue what it was. The only reaction he could remember getting from her was once she had complained that he was sweating on her.

He sighed, shaking his still wet head, wondering briefly if all women were so disconnected in bed. From what he had heard on his ship and from the palace guards, it was not the norm. He had finally chalked it up to Mai's personality, she was cold and remote almost all the time, why should she be any different in bed.

Unfortunately, just thinking of the passionate water bender was enough to make his pulse quicken and his body shiver with excitement. It was maddening! She was not his to court, she had a boyfriend, who also happened to be a close friend of his, if she was single though, that would be quite a different story.

He forced himself to think about Mai, rehearsing in his head what he was going to say to her in an apology the next time they met. He hoped fleetingly that the messenger hawk's letter had softened her, but he doubted it, letters tended to make her even angrier.

"I'm really sorry, Mai, It was really stupid of me." He tried, then frowned, starting again, "I am SO, so sorry Mai, It was really stupid, I wasn't thinking . . ."

He raised his voice an octave, imitating her monotone, "Zuko, you never think, you think a messenger hawk was supposed to make me feel better? You ran away!!"

"I'm sorry Mai, I wanted to let you cool off, I didn't expect to roam all over the earth kingdom . . . I missed you." He said, in his own voice again.

"Its boring whether you're here or not, but I guess I'm glad you're back."

"I got you something Mai, I hope you like it."

"It's not my style Zuko, its not black and dreary, why don't you give it to that water bender you gallivanted across the kingdom with!"

Zuko crossed his arm across his chest and rubbed his temple with the other, "Ugh, even when I speak for her, nothing is ever good enough."

"Speak for who? What are you talking about?"

Zuko turned around, a dripping wet Katara stood at the cave mouth, the clean dishes slung over her left arm, her pack and water skin over her shoulder, leaving her dominant hand free for combat. She raised it and put it on her hip, shifting her weight to one foot as she studied him.

"Nobody, Nothing," He scrambled over and took the dishes from her, packing them into the emu horse's saddlebags.

"You sure?" Katara frowned, Iroh had said that their family had a history of madness, due to the inbreeding of the nobility.

"Yea, we should get going though, it's almost mid morning."

Katara quickly packed the rest of her things onto her mare and then swung up, her thigh muscles still tender from all the hard riding. Zuko led the way, a fireball glowing in his hand, lighting up the passage. The caverns were just how Katara remembered them, dark, drippy, and spooky, a year had not changed them much. They rode in silence for half a candle mark, until they reached the first fork.

"Well, which way?" Zuko peered over his shoulder at her.

"Umm, turn the light off." Katara directed, and was suddenly plunged into darkness. She waited, but no glow came from the crystals.

"So?"

"Turn the light back on."

Zuko did so.

"We must not be deep enough into the cave, lets just go right for now." She started along, and he followed behind her reluctantly.

They rode for several more minutes, then the path split again, again Zuko doused the light, and again there were no crystals glowing.

"Katara." He said, on edge.

"No, we just have to find the blue crystals, it wont take long, relax, lets take the left fork, and we'll just turn right and then left to back track."

"Okay." Zuko did not look pleased.

Once he felt high noon, he pulled his mount to a stop, "Katara, we better backtrack, whatever was up with those crystals, its not working now, we could spend days going in circles and not find them, I'm surprised that you and Aang were right on the path out when your torch burned out."

Katara seemed to stop and consider it for a minute, "That was pretty lucky," she agreed, then thought, _What if it wasn't the absence of light but the kiss that made the crystals go on, what if they were magic . . ._

It must have reflected on her face, because Zuko reigned in closer, "What's that? Did you remember something? What's going on?"

"Nothing, you're right, we should backtrack and go around."

"Alright, so right, left, left, right, left, right."

"I thought it was right, left, right, left, left, right."

"You're joking with me!"

"Umm . . ."

"Damn it! Why do I listen to you or your brother?!"

"I don't know, probably because you're a follower." Katara shot back, annoyed.

"I am not a follower!!" He hissed indignantly, "I'm the Fire Lord!"

"Yes you are, Fire Lord or no, you followed the Avatar, then you followed Azula, then you followed the Avatar again, and now you're following me!" Katara argued.

"You know, I would be more than happy to follow you out of this tunnel if you would enlighten me as to how."

"I already told you! We turned off the lights and the crystals came on, that was it!"

"That couldn't have been it, because obviously there are no crystals in this cave!!"

Katara pinched the bridge of her nose, "Well it's the only logical explanation!!"

"I knew it! I knew you were hiding something!" Zuko shot her a triumphant yet angry glance, "Just tell me the illogical explanations."

"Well, there was a rock slide, and me and Aang got separated-"

"You told me that Katara."

"You know!" she balled her hands into fists, "You're not allowed to interrupt me!" she paused, and then when he remained silent, continued, "So, like I was saying, there was a rock slide, and Aang and I got separated from Sokka, Chong, and these traveling minstrels. We wandered around for hours, and we found this . . . we found their tomb."

"Tomb?!" Zuko muttered, exasperated.

"On the sarcophagi, it told the story of the two lovers, I still remember it . . . 'They met on top of the mountain that divided their two villages, the villages were enemies so they could not be together, but their love was strong, and they found a way. The two lovers learned earth bending from the badger moles. They became the first earth benders. They built elaborate tunnels so they could meet secretly. Anyone who tried to follow them would be lost forever in the labyrinth. But one day the man didn't come, he died in the war between their two villages. Devastated, the woman unleashed a terrible display of her earth bending power. She could have destroyed them all. But instead she declared the war over. Both villages helped her build a new city where they would live together in peace. The woman's name was Oma and the man's name was Shu. The great city was named Omashu as a monument to their love' . . . . Then it said 'Love is brightest in the dark'."

"So? I know the story, where are you going with this?"

"Yes!" Katara pointed at him, "Aang said that too, because, we were in the dark, and there was a statue of Oma and Shu kissing, and well, I suggested we kiss."

"Please tell me you aren't going to tell me what I think you're about to tell me."

"So we kissed, right as the torch went out, and then the blue gems started to glow. I thought it was the fact that there was no light, I mean, it HAD to be the fact that there was no light, you can't light up crystals with a kiss!" she looked down, toying with her mare's mane.

"You'd be surprised what a good kiss could do." Zuko murmured rubbing his temples with his free hand, "So, you think that it was the kiss that made the crystals start to shine?"

"Well, I don't know." Katara huffed, "I just told you what happened, everything that happened."

"So . . ."

Katara kept her eyes down, not saying anything, but a blush crept across her features.

"This never leaves the cave, okay?"

"Aang would understand that we were lost and in trouble, and we had to . . ." Katara defended.

"Aang would, Mai wouldn't, and I'd end up with a shuriken in my back real fast. I think she would rather I starve and die than cheat on her."

"Ugh, don't say it like that." Katara said, shifting back and forth, looking uncomfortable.

"Like what?"

"That it's cheating, just turn off the light before I change my mind." Katara shook her head, reining her mare closer, bumping knees with him.

"Before YOU change your mind? What about MY mind?" Zuko fought back.

"Zuko! The light." Katara crossed her arms impatiently.

"This never leaves the cave, swear it!" he held the light away from her defiantly, as though the light would protect him.

"I swear."

Zuko let the fire die. They were immediately plunged into darkness.

"Wait, where is your-" Zuko heard her say, then recoiled as two of her fingers bumped awkwardly into his nose and cheek as she groped for his face. He grabbed her hand and placed it firmly on his scarred cheek, she moved her fingers and caressed his face, finding his lips with her thumb. He heard her stand up in her stirrups and a moment later, felt her lips brush his for a split second, then he heard the groaning of leather as she sat back.

Nothing happened.

"Well . . ." as he spoke, he felt Katara let go of his face, "I guess kissing wasn't it."

"Hmm," he heard her frown, "maybe . . . maybe it wasn't enough."

"Wasn't enough?!"

"Well, it was one of my first kisses, maybe the cave gave us the benefit of the doubt . . . maybe this time, it will take . . . more."

"Katara!" Zuko relit the fire in his hand, "Caves don't give people the benefit of the doubt!! They're caves!"

Katara gazed at him fiercely, "Well do you have a better idea?!"

"No!"

"Well then?" she shot back.

"Ugh! Alright, More."

Katara dismounted, and walked over to the center of the passageway. Zuko reluctantly followed, trying to look everywhere but at her.

"Okay, so, turn off the light and kiss me, but kiss me like I am Mai." Katara swallowed the jealousy that threatened to lace her voice.

"Er . . . you have met Mai haven't you, passion really isn't 'her thing'" Zuko scuffed the dirt with his foot, "Maybe you better kiss me like you kiss Aang."

"Well . . ." Katara rubbed the back of her neck, looking down, "Aang is only thirteen, I . . . I try to keep it . . . innocent. I mean, I slip up a little, but . . . I think you would be more experienced, you're older."

"Okay, okay, just . . ." Zuko didn't bother to finish the thought, but snuffed his light out and reached up to cup her chin, his other hand finding her hip.

_Just like Mai, Just like Mai those first few weeks._ Zuko brushed her cheek, and he heard the water bender inhale sharply, and lean forward in anticipation, her hands rising to rest on his chest.

_You can do this, you're Fire Lord._

He leaned in, brushing her bottom lip with his, his hand moving from her chin to her neck, then, he nerved himself and pressed his mouth to her's. He heard her moan softly, and return the kiss, which caught him off guard, neither girl he had kissed had made any noises of pleasure. He did what he usually did when he was caught off guard socially and froze.

What felt like years, but was probably only seconds later, he felt her realize he had frozen up and take control. She bit gently on his lower lip, then her tongue flick at them gently, and he reflexively opened his mouth. Her tongue snaked into his mouth, and she pressed herself into him, he actually took a step back, trying to find his balance against the pressure, and he felt her arms rise from his chest to wrap around his neck, pulling his head closer.

Her piercing dug into his chest, making him painfully aware of the rest of the pleasures her body had to offer, and tentatively, he wrapped his arms around her, one resting on the small of her back, the other her butt. She made another soft noise of pleasure into his mouth, pressing her tongue to his once more, claiming his mouth again. Time seemed to warp, and it felt like only instants had passed before she started pulling back out of the kiss.

She ran her lips over his, sucking on his lower one gently, her fingers brushing across his scar and tangling in his hair. Finally, she pulled away, her lips hovering an inch from his, not having the nerve to kiss him again, not having the will to pull away completely.

He sighed, a soft, wondering sigh, and then, slowly he released her, opening his eyes, he could see her, bathed in a soft blue glow from thousands of crystals in the rock ceiling.

They didn't say anything for several moments, then Katara broke the silence.

"I told you caves could give you the benefit of the doubt." She looked smug.

"I . . . wa . . . tha . . ." Zuko stammered, then swallowed and tried again, "That was . . . intense."

Katara looked sheepish, "It was, and it never leaves the cave."

Zuko nodded numbly, and staggered back to his mount. Katara was already clucking to hers and following the crystals down the left fork. The palomino followed, trotting a few steps to catch up with her's.

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"Aang?" Toph pushed aside a tree branch, "There you are."

Aang was curled up under one of the trees in the cluster, his eyes red from crying.

"You okay?" Toph sat down next to him, her arms circling her knees.

Aang didn't say anything, just curled up tighter, and closed his eyes.

"Yea, silly question, huh?" Toph put an hand on his shoulder, out of her element with the upset tween, "Course you're not okay."

"Am I being stupid?"

"I don't know, I guess, well, no, just, you are jumping to conclusions." Toph patted him, trying to sound reassuring.

"Yea . . . But, Katara really has seemed distant, what if she doesn't love me anymore?"

"Sometimes things just aren't meant to be?" Toph tried, her pats turning to strokes, "I mean, nobody lives happily ever after with the first person they love . . ."

Aang sniffed hard.

"Well, not NOBODY nobody," Toph cut in quickly, "But, I guess I'm trying to say that even if something bad happens, you don't have to be like Pakku and never love again, you take it, and you wear it, and you walk it off, and when your ready, you'll fall in love again."

"Yea . . ."

"But, this is Katara we are talking about, she is the most predictable person I know, I'm sure this is just some stupid thing that Mai has cooked up, honestly, the girl has issues, I don't know what Sparky sees in her, he could do better."

"She is just quiet."

"That's one thing to call it, feeling better?"

"Yea."

Toph reached into her sleeve and pulled out a handful of handkerchiefs and dropped them on top of Aang's curled up form, "Here, if you wanna clean yourself up. Hurry though, I want to get back to Omashu in time to kick that gloomy girl's ass before she flies off in that airship of hers."

"You don't have to do that Toph."

"Oh I want to,"

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Mai had not flown off in her airship; in fact, she had no intention of flying away at all. She made herself at home in one of the palace's guest bedrooms, and would not see anyone that came to talk to her, except Bumi, out of courtesy to her host. Toph had tried to visit her and 'talk some sense into her', but Aang had refused to let her within a hundred yards of the girl's suite.

"Come on Twinkle Toes, keep your knees up." She said without enthusiasm, they were both going through the motions of an earth bending lesson, but neither one's mind was in it.

"Are my arms in the right place?"

Toph shrugged, "Close enough."

"Maybe we should just call it quits for today," Aang suggested, dropping his stance and standing up.

"Yea . . . Go hit the showers, Twinkle Toes."

Aang shrugged and smelled his armpit, "I don't think I even broke a sweat."

"Avatar Aang!" one of the palace staff had entered the practice hall, "We received a messenger hawk from Zuko, we believe the message has been tampered with. The seal is broken."

"Let me see!" Aang rocketed across the room, landing in front of the attendant and snatching the note. He scanned it once, then looked at the seal, then back at the writing.

"Well?! What's it say?" Toph asked, punching him in the arm to make sure she had his attention.

"Ow!! It says, 'Avatar Aang, I apologize for the lateness of this letter, while visiting my uncle, I ran into your girlfriend Katara, she demonstrated a remarkable ability that I believe will help me greatly. She and I are riding across the Si Wong Desert on Emu horseback, and we will discuss more when I arrive. Fire Lord Zuko.'"

"That's it?! Why would it be tampered with?" Toph scratched her head

"I don't know, that's it except he used a flourish in his name that is a signal that the message is fake. Him and I agreed it out a while ago, but this is the first time either of us has had to use it." Aang looked perplexed as well, "Was this one the only letter you received?"

The servant nodded.

"You didn't get one for Mai?" Aang asked again.

"No, sir, just the one, though I will tell you immediately if any more arrive."

"Alright." Aang reread the letter again, scanning for something that looked like a code, but nothing jumped out. Perhaps Zuko simply hadn't had time to make up a code.

"So, are we going to tell Tall Dark and Gloomy that her boyfriend sent us a letter?" Toph smashed her fist into the palm of her open hand excitedly.

"No, we wont, I will go tell Mai that Zuko sent a letter. Alone."

"No way in hell Twinkle Toes! I'm not letting you have all the fun!"

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"See!!" Katara turned and looked over her shoulder, orange light flooding in through the cave entrance, "I told you we could make it before sunset!!"

Zuko shielded his eyes, "I don't know, the sun is most of the way down, and we still need to make camp!"

Katara shook her head, "We should push on, I bet we can make it to Omashu before midnight if we ride hard!"

Zuko crossed his arms, "We have already pulled two all nighters, we should give our Emu Horses a break. They're working hard."

Katara seemed torn, "If we push they'll get to sleep in a warm stable, get some real grain, and a good rubdown by Bumi's handlers."

Zuko surveyed the landscape, he could see the smoke from Omashu rising in the distance, they just had to travel south out of the foothills and across the plain. He didn't like the idea of riding in the dark though, especially if they were being tracked. Luckily, Katara's detour through the cave probably lost any pursuit that was following, unless the pursuers brought lots of torches or kissed a lot.

"Alright, we'll push to Omashu." Zuko conceded, nudging his mount on.

"Just think, in a few hours we'll-" an arrow whizzed by her ear, slicing apart one of her hair loopies.

Zuko kicked his emu horse hard, "Ride, Ride RIDE!!"

"They're after you! I'll delay them!!" Katara hollered as Zuko blew by her in a flurry of gold and white. She bent her water out of her skin, she looped her finger's through her mare's mane and knocked the next volley from the air.

"No, I'm Come ON!" He reigned his mount to a stop, "I'm not leaving you here, especially after what happened last time!"

"I can take care of myself!!" another arrow whizzed by, slicing her cheek open.

"For Fuck sake!!" Zuko reached out and grabbed her reigns, "I'll steer, you cover us!!" another squeeze and both creatures took off, Katara had to wrap the mare's mane around her wrist to keep her balance as she twisted around in the saddle and bent with her free hand.

The emu horses brayed in terror as they ran, reaching their top speed in moments, and Katara wanted to shut her eyes to block out the scenery whipping by her at what must have been over forty miles per hour, and mere inches away.

"Shit!" She heard Zuko swear, and her mount zigzagged wildly, she saw a net drop to the ground to the left of her. In the momentum she had lost her stirrups, and she gripped the beast as hard as she could with her knees, forming a ice dome that another volley of arrows slammed into.

"Zuko, You'll make me fall!" her emu horse darted again in another direction, and Katara had to catch a tree with her foot and shove herself back into the saddle properly. An fireball was suddenly careening towards them, and Katara managed to raise a wave to shield them, but it all evaporated into steam, she gathered up as much as she could, but lost a good deal of liquid in the process.

"Come on, if you can't do it nobody can!" Zuko had nearly flattened himself along the stallion's neck, occasionally shooting a fireball up into the tree canopy, but mostly paying attention to the curving path.

Katara heard a scream and somebody dropped from the tree branches, engulfed in flames. Her stomach turned, she would have bent her water across him, but by the angle of his neck, she realized it wouldn't help.

Suddenly, her mount was skidding to a stop, and Katara went over it's neck, tumbling to the ground in front of both creatures. She heard Zuko leap off his palomino, and grab her arm, hauling her to her feet.

About ten men stood in front of them, all with blue thunderbolts painted across their face and chest.

"Drop your weapons!!" One of them ordered, and reluctantly Zuko dropped his broadswords, and Katara pulled out her kris knife and tossed it to the ground.

"So, Prince Zuko, we meet at last." A tall bearded man stepped forward, crossing his arms and grinning, "Now, you are going to tell us where your sister is, and maybe, we'll let your little friend here live, maybe, if she is cooperative. You though, I am afraid we will have to execute."

Zuko took up a bending stance, "I'll rip you limb from limb and burn you to dust before I let you touch her."

Katara glanced around, taking inventory, ten men in front, five behind, a mix of benders and swordsmen, no water on her, she would have to tear it out of the trees, four of the men had arrows notched on them. They were not good odds.

"Well? Your last chance, where is Azula?" the man pointed a sword at Zuko's throat.

"Go fuck yourself!" Zuko snarled.

"Wait!" Katara scrambled over, "I know where she is, don't hurt him!!"

The man raised his eyebrows, looking her up and down, and then sneered, "I didn't think that the fire lord would share that with the Avatar's girlfriend." Katara tried not to blanch, dismayed, wondering how they had found out who she was, "Though I bet the Avatar would know, and maybe he would be more cooperative if we had a little leverage."

He walked over to her and sliced her hair loop the rest of the way off, making sure the beads stayed on, then handed it to one of his subordinates. Katara backed up and grabbed for Zuko's arm, her mind running furiously.

"Bring that to Omashu, Tell the Avatar if he doesn't comply to our demands, we'll kill his girl . . . or worse."

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Katara dug through her mind for a lie, "Katara? She is headed to the Fire Nation already. He won't recognize anything, I'm the Fire Lord's concubine, Salacina, a gift from the Northern Water Tribe."

The leader looked skeptical, "You're a little young looking to be a concubine."

Katara drew herself up to her full height and tried to sound insulted, "I'm fifteen and a half!! I'm almost of marrying age!!"

"Boss, if she ain't the Avatar's girl we got to let the men in the fire nation know to look for her." His second said, still holding Katara's decapitated hair loop.

"Okay, how big is he?"

"What?" Katara asked, blushing.

"How big? A concubine would know, the avatar's girlfriend wouldn't."

Katara tried to remember how large he had felt when he was pressed against her, asleep, "Eight inches." It was an educated guess.

"Drop your pants, Prince Zuko." He ordered.

"No!! She's right, she's right!" Zuko roared, "What the fuck are you playing at?!"

Their boss grabbed Katara's Kris knife off the ground, grabbed her and held the wavy blade to her throat, "I'm not playing!! Do it or I'll give her another cut on her other cheek to the first." He grabbed Katara's face and drew her blade across her cheek, collecting the blood that was already dripping from her arrow cut and then licking it off her blade in a way that seemed to mean more to Zuko than to her because he glared and yelled again.

"I wont Fucking give you the chance!!"

"I believe I gave you an order, Prince Zuko." Katara felt the blade against her neck again and she whimpered softly.

Zuko's eyes locked onto the blade, her whimper seemed to convince him though, and he reached for his belt. Shucking out of his pants, he started working on his underwear, unwinding the cloth.

The men started jeering and elbowing each other, and even in the twilight, Katara could see Zuko blushing. She started to avert her eyes, but then realized the men were watching her reaction as much as his. She kept her gaze squarely on him, she was almost of marrying age after all, and the Water Tribe was not a modest race.

"She was right, Okay?!" Zuko gestured, and then began adjusting his wrappings.

"Oi, okay Salacina, guess you are the prince's whore." then he grinned, "Doesnt mean youre not the Avatar's girl too." he turned, "Fetch some rope!!"

Katara felt her body start to heat up, the familiar sensations starting to rise, her fingers tingled, her body ached, she became acutely aware of every drop of water close by, just then, she saw the quarter moon break the horizon, and her finger's twitched, the dew on the grass and the mist around the trees floating towards them.

With all eyes on Zuko, nobody noticed the ice forming on her fingertips, or the quick snap of her wrist that sent them into the side of one of the bowmen.

He cried out and fell slowly, everyone turning, confused, nobody had seen the water bending. Taking advantage of her captor's distraction, she stomped hard on his foot, and elbowed him in the gut, reaching up and seizing the dagger. Everyone shouted, and suddenly the air was full of fire, and their boss let her and her dagger go.

Katara barely had time to register two men running at her, both throwing fireballs; she bent the water out of the grass and slammed one into a tree, freezing him there. The other she ducked, and without thinking, stabbed hard in the leg. He fell to the ground as well. Two were on Zuko, another was about to stab him in the chest with a scimitar. She jumped and rotated, blood bending him hard into a tree, where he did not get up. Tearing the water from another nearby tree, she knocked another fire bender over, whipping him across the face hard enough to break his jaw, her water wrapped around her arms like second sleeves.

"Duck!" she heard Zuko yell, and threw herself to the forest floor just in time to see a huge blast of flame blaze over her head. Then the head of the group was standing over her, his sword plunging straight down.

She rolled, then thrust her arm up, the water following the motion and hitting him square in the chest. She turned and brought down another, kneeing him hard in the groin and then bending the vines of the trees around him and then freezing them there.

Then her back was to Zuko's, they both stepped to their left, mirroring each other back to back, almost mindlessly. He brought a fire whip across, hitting one of the men across the face and sending him reeling, and Katara mirrored, doing the same motion, as he protected her back, she protected his.

Before long, the clearing was empty, except for the men that had not survived the fight. The guerrillas had fled, remarkably their Emu Horses had not, and five men had deep slashes across their face, eyeballs torn from their sockets, and lips cleft in two. Wounds that looked like an Emu Horse kick to the face.

"Uncle told me they were smarter and more loyal than ostrich horses, I didn't believe him!" Zuko muttered after a few seconds of gasping, a hand on his chest. He did not look nearly as pained though as he had after fighting days before.

"Come on, they underestimated us once, they wont do it again!" Katara grabbed his arm, hugging it to her chest, and hauled him over to the mounts.

"No, I'm covered in blood." He protested, "And let me at least go put on my pants,"

"Hurry up!" Katara let him go, and pet her mount's nose, cooing praises for it, trying not to look at it's blood soaked toes.

They rode at full speed, urging their waning mounts on. Katara found that riding at top speed did not help during a power surge, and she started standing up in her stirrups to try to reduce friction and distract herself from the throbbing between her legs.

They made it to the outer gates a little after one in the morning, thoroughly tired, covered with blood, scratched and scraped and pleading for sanctuary. They must have given the guards a real scare riding in from the distance.

Luckily word traveled fast and in a blur, of hands and voices, Katara found herself washed and dressed in a guest bedroom of the palace. She made her way to the bed, too tired to even notice her body crying out for attention, but before she had slid in the covers the door flung open, and she felt someone throw themselves onto her in a big hug.

"KATARA!!" Aangs voice filled the room, "I missed you!! They wouldn't let me in the bath house!! You're here!! I MISSED you!!"

Katara turned and returned the hug, trying to sound excited, "I missed you too Aang . . . I'm really tired though."

Aang looked hurt, "But I want you to tell me everything! Who attacked you! Are you okay? Your cheek is all scratched up, who did that to you? You showed up covered in blood, why do you have a dagger? Can I see it?"

Katara hugged him again, then leaned down and kissed him, her body jumped in response, and she found herself pulling him close, the kiss getting rougher, more demanding.

Aang stiffened and panicked, pushed her away, careful to push her on her stomach and not her chest.

"Fuck!" Katara swore and released him, realizing that she was getting handsy again.

"Katara!" Aang looked aghast, disapproving of her swearing.

"I mean, Damn- I mean, Monkey feathers!" Katara pressed the heels of her hands to her head, which had suddenly started to hurt.

"Katara, what has been going on with you?" Aang put a hand on her arm, looking up at her concerned.

"Aang, please, I need to sleep right now, can we talk tomorrow?"

"Okay . . ." he looked at her uncertainly.

Katara got into bed and patted the spot next to her, the invitation hanging in the air between them.

Aang took a step back, looking from side to side nervously.

"I'll just go to my bed then . . ." Aang tried to smile, hiding the awkwardness he felt, and he turned and retreated.

Katara felt her self esteem plummet, she wasn't THAT terrifying, was she?

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**Ahh, Kataang, you are like FAKE all over again but without the explicit yaoi police man sex to hold my interest.**

**:shifty eyes: **

**I mean . . . I love all pairings equally, and would never alienate anyone by declaring otherwise.**

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**Man, anyone who doesn't know what Katara's dagger looks like should plug 'Kris Knife' into google images, there are some pretty crazy blades, I always imagined it was pretty elaborate too, those water tribes and fire nation like decoration.**

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**I always liked the dynamic between Mai and Toph, they grew up in the same environment, and one let it break her, and one let it mold her into the young woman she is. At least, that's how I see it.**

**I hope you enjoyed it, and the Zutara sexin comes while they're at the swamp, so prepare yourself mentally.**

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**Oh, and Yes, the title has a double meaning, one refers to two of Shakespeare's romantic plays, a Midsummer Night's Dream, where two men, Demitrius and Lysander are in love with the same woman, Hermia who loves Lysander back, and her friend Helena who loves Demitrius, who doesn't return her love. After some fairie magic though, Demitrius falls in love with Helena and all is right with the world.**

**It also is mentioned in Twelfth Night, particularly the part where Olivia exclaims "Why, this is very midsummer madness!!" suggesting that strange and wonderful possibilities may ensue. It also suggests that the midsummer moon is connected to lunacy in humans . . . it sure makes Katara crazy.**

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**R&R, questions, comments, complaints, input on how you personally think the story should go, requests to hurry up and get to the sexy parts.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9: The Fountain

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: PG-13

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Pairing:** Zutara, Kataang, Maiko, Ty LeeOC

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 9**

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Katara woke up the following morning with a jolt, mainly because when she reached out to touch Zuko, there was nothing to her left but pillows and an empty half of the mattress. It had worried her enough in her half sleep to drag her to full wakefulness, where she was lucid enough to comprehend that they were not on the trail, and he was not sleeping in his bedroll right beside her.

She sighed, sitting up and looking at the noontime sun, debating inwardly whether it was worth it to lay back and catch another hour of slumber. Usually it was no contest, and she would have gone back to sleep in seconds, but her body complained loudly, and she found sleep eluded her.

Giving up on sleep, she slid out of bed and trudged over to the mirror to access the damages. The slice across her cheek was scabbing, but probably wouldn't scar as long as she didn't reopen it, her neck was bruised, but nothing seemed stiff or crushed, one of her hair loops was half lopped off, and Katara tugged sadly at the strand, it no longer reached her bun. Her eyes had dark circles under them, and she looked pale and exhausted.

"No wonder Aang looked scared of you." She informed her reflection, "You look like something that just crawled out of it's grave."

Her reflection stared back at her, unashamed.

She yawned, rotating her head in a circle, and dropped to the floor. _Maybe some Yoga will make me feel better_, she hoped, _Maybe it will distract me._

Her sun salutations however, did little for the pulling of the quarter moon, and exasperated, she grabbed her whole pack and started off for the baths. Maybe a bath would help. A cold one.

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Mai barged into Zuko's room, stomping over to the bed in a well contained fury. The Fire Lord sat bolt upright, surprised beyond measure to see his girlfriend in Omashu. His stomach sank as he saw the anger in her eyes, and her tense fingers, some of the few indications of emotion that she gave.

"Mai!" He jumped up and held out his arms in an invitation for an embrace, "I didn't know you would be here! I'm so happy to see you!"

Mai crossed her arms, staying where she was, "The Avatar is mad at you," _and so am I._

Zuko looked down, "I sent him a letter notifying him of my arrival. I sent you one too, only I sent it to the fire nation, I thought that's where you were."

"That's not why he is upset."

Zuko began to dig through his saddlebags that he had been too tired to unpack the night before, "Alright, I'll just get on my cloths and go talk to him . . ."

Mai looked at his travel cloths, still covered with mud, algae, and blood stains. She wrinkled her nose, "I don't think that's a good Idea, he wants to spend some time with Katara."

"Mai, I got you something in Ba Sing Se." Zuko pulled out the bracelet and proffered it to her, "I couldn't stop thinking about what a jerk I was to run off."

"So you bought me something." Mai looked displeased, but he could hear the interest in her voice, interest from Mai was always a good sign.

He slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, "I hope you like it."

Mai studied it for a minute, turning it over on her wrist, "It's nice." She finally conceded, some of her anger draining away.

Zuko hugged her, relieved, and kissed her on the temple, his hand stroking her hair. She stiffened a bit in his arms, but returned the hug, her hands resting on his exposed shoulder blades.

Tightening his grip, Zuko leaned in to kiss her, but she put a hand up to his lips, stopping him.

"Mai, what's wrong?" Zuko grabbed her shoulders, embracing her, "I missed you, I just got here, Why don't you and I forget everything for a little while and have some lighten up time?"

Mai pushed away from his chest, her voice rising, "I think you have had plenty of 'lighten up' time already!! Maybe you should stop and have some 'actions have consequences' time!"

Zuko let her go, "What are you talking about Mai! I apologized already, what more do you want?!"

Before he could blink, there was a dagger lodged in the center of his bedpost, vibrating back and forth from the impact.

"You know what I am talking about!! Don't play dumb!!" Mai stepped forward, her hands balled into fists, but her voice remaining calm, "Do you think that just because you're the Fire Lord that you can do whatever you want?"

"What the hell are you talking about Mai?! Will you just SAY it, so we don't have to dance around it for two days?! I really DON'T know what you're talking about!!"

By then, Mai's knuckles were white, "You're really just going to lie to my face?" She abruptly turned on her heels, "You won't dare lie to the Avatar though, Toph will be there, and she'll say whether or not you're lying."

"What am I lying about?!" Zuko yelled, "WHAT MAI?!" He felt the sparks fly from his mouth as he started losing control of his temper.

"You kissed her!!" Mai spat back, "You kissed Katara, do you dare deny it?!"

Zuko paled, "Oh hell no . . ." He whirled, and stomped out the door, not looking back at his girlfriend.

Mai watched him go open jawed for a split second, then tore out after him. The argument was over when she said so!

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Katara was bending water out of her hair when she heard a knock at her door and Toph's voice floating through the wood, "Hey Sugar, can I come in?"

"Yes Toph, but hurry, I'm not dressed."

"Whoa Katara, nice new hair style." Toph grinned, shutting the door behind her.

"Very funny." The water bender gave her a hug, "Those work a lot better on Sokka."

Toph shrugged, "He isn't around, and you work with what you got. Aang asked me to bring you some new cloths, said your old travel cloths were pretty much shot."

"Thanks Toph," Katara took them and began pulling on the pants, the whole outfit comprised of the reds and browns popular in the Fire Nation. They must have come from there.

"Aang wanted you to meet him by the fountain." Toph said, then found and added, "He is pretty shook up and upset about what happened."

Katara slapped her forehead, remembering how scared he had been the night before, "I know, It was stupid of me, I shouldn't have grabbed him and kissed him like that, it was just . . . a compulsion . . . and, with the moon and all the strange stuff happening, I didn't plan it. But I'm nearly a woman now, I have needs, and I never really understood what that phrase meant until now . . ."

"Woah! Wait, so you really did kiss Sparky?" Toph sounded angry all of a sudden, her arms crossing in front of her chest, her voice accusing.

"What?!" Katara's head poped out of the top of the choli she was trying to shimmy into, "No!! I mean, Yes! I mean . . . Not like that!" she put an arm throught the arm hole.

"You better get your story strait Sugar Queen!" Toph grabbed the by the top and yanked Katara in close, her chest nearly falling out the bottom from the pressure, "I can tell that you're lying, and I won't cover for you."

"I . . ." Katara grabbed her, "Toph! You need to tell me exactly what happened with Aang!!"

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Aang sat, running his fingers through the water of the fountain, the fish chasing his fingers looking for food. He sighed, pulling his knees up to his aching chest.

"AANG!"

He jumped up hearing Katara yell for him, and a instant later caught sight of her barreling across the garden, Toph in hot pursuit. She skidded to a stop and threw her arms around him, cradling his head to her chest, her fingers caressing his neck.

"Toph told me what Mai said, and it's not true!" Katara squeezed him, "He just kissed my cheek in Ba Sing Se, we were just playing to the crowd, "I don't know why she blew it so far out of proportion!"

"It's true." Toph scowled, suspecting Katara was lying by omission.

She felt Aang relax and press himself against her, and he felt very small and vulnerable in her arms. She hugged him tighter, and felt him squirm.

"Katara, you've got a coin or something caught in your bindings, it hurts!"

"Oops, Sorry," she released him and cupped his face, kissing him chastely.

"Zuko is coming this way." Toph interrupted them, scuffing the dirt with her toes, "Mai too."

"Oh!" Aang grinned, "That's good, we can explain to her that it was just a misunderstanding!"

"I wouldn't count on it." Toph muttered under her breath.

"KATARA!!"

Katara's heart jumped into her throat, she hadn't heard that tone from him since before he had lopped off his ponytail. She immediately shoved Aang behind her and turned to face him arms raised defensively.

"KATARA!! YOU SWORE!!" Zuko was yelling, fire spewing from his mouth, and she quickly bent the water out of the fountain and shielded them.

"Zuko!! Stop it!!" Aang jumped out from behind his girlfriend, trying to talk some sense into his fire bending teacher.

"You SWORE it would never leave the cave!!" another holler, another firey blast, though this time he aimed his head away.

"Cave?" Mai asked, her features darkening.

"Zuko!" Aang dispersed the fire and grabbed one of Zuko's arms, Toph followed his lead and grabbed the other.

"Katara! I thought I could trust you!! Why did you tell what happened in the cave!!" Zuko yanked his arm from Aang's grasp and pointed accusingly at her, but the fire in his mouth had died.

"I thought nothing happened in the cave?" Aang frowned, "She offered to heal your scar?"

Zuko ignored him, "I TOLD you Mai would crucify me!! I trusted you!!"

Katara looked back and forth between Aang and Zuko, her mouth agape. She grasped for words, but came up with nothing.

"What were you trying to prove?!" he fumed, "It was your fault anyways! You said the damn blue crystals would glow!!"

"What's this about a cave?" Mai asked, her voice icy.

Katara found her voice, "I didn't say ANYTHING about the stupid cave!!" She yelled back, "Mai was mad because you kissed my CHEEK in BA SING SE!! BUT NOW I BET SHE HAS A LOT MORE QUESTIONS!!"

_How could anyone be so dense?!_

Zuko stopped tugging against the earth bender on his arm and looked at the ground. Katara could almost see the wheels in his head turning as he processed everything that had just happened.

"So," Mai repeated, sitting on the fountain cooly, "What's this about a cave?"

Aang fiddled with the hem of his robe, worried, finally in a small, wavering voice, he asked, "Katara?"

Katara felt her heart breaking at the hurt in his voice, and she blinked back tears, "Yes Aang?"

"What happened in the cave?"

"You mean the cave under Ba Sing Se?" She tried to evade the question.

"No, I mean, whatever cave Zuko was talking about . . . blue crystals, was it the Cave of Two Lovers."

Katara turned her back on them all, not wanting to see Aang's face, "Alright, We kissed, on the mouth."

"Why did you lie to me?"

"I promised Zuko I wouldn't ever mention it again."

"You . . ." Aang seemed to be trying to figure out the jealousy washing through him, and he turned to Zuko, his voice accusing, "You kissed my gir-"

Katara screamed in pain, it ripped out her mouth, through her clenched teeth, both boys whirled around just in time to see Mai pulling another dagger from her sleeve, her arm arcing back to throw it. Toph was bending up another pillar of earth, the first not being high enough to block the projectile. She wasn't good at judging things moving through the air.

The Fire Lord caught Mai's arm too late to stop the second dagger, but his momentum took them over the side of the fountain, landing them both in the water. Aang swung his staff and a cyclone of air knocked the dagger from it's course.

Katara reached over her shoulder and yanked at the dagger lodged in her arm, gritting her teeth together. She had never been stabbed before, and it hurt like nothing she had ever experienced. Her nerves were already sensitive from the lunar cycle, and now they were getting signals of the most extreme pain that she had ever felt.

Aang froze the water of the fountain, trapping Mai where she was pinned, and Zuko on top of her, elbow deep in ice. Zuko, who had been struggling to restrain her eased up and let her go, he looked out of place with the fish of the fountain frozen where they swam.

"You attacked Katara!" Aang was furious, "I thought we were friends!!"

"Aang, you can attack someone and still be their friend," Katara reasoned, applying pressure to her wound.

"I don't believe you Zuko! You cheated on me!!" Mai ignored the avatar all together, "and with a Water Tribe peasant no less?!"

"Does it make a difference?" Zuko yelled back, then added, "And I didn't cheat on you!! We were stuck in the cave in the dark lost, what were we supposed to do?!"

"Aang, you remember how it was." Katara pleaded.

Aang shifted back and forth uncomfortably, obviously agreeing with Mai, but not wanting to admit it.

"All we did was kiss." Katara put in, "That's it."

"It's true." Toph echoed.

"It was only to make the crystals glow." added Zuko.

"True." Toph hesitated though, as if it was more difficult to tell.

"I'm really sorry Aang," she reached out tentatively and touched his fingers with her good arm.

"I don't believe this!" Mai glared up at Zuko, "I have had it with you! Of all the stupid things you do! You never think about me, or how your actions will effect me!! It's all about the stupid Avatar and his little friends! Unfreeze the water this instant!" she ordered Aang.

Aang complied, and she stood up, her long robes weighing four times as much now that they were soaked through, and her black eyeliner dripping down her face.

"I'm sick of being treated like this, I deserve a man who puts me as his first priority!! Not his fifth or sixth!!" She yanked off the bracelet and threw it back at him, hitting him square on his chest scar, "You can just forget it!! I never want to see you again!!"

She tramped back across the garden, heading back to the castle.

"Zuko, go after her!"

Everyone turned and looked at Katara.

"Are you crazy? She just broke up with him and told him she never wants to see him again!!" Toph said, "And it was the truth."

"Zuko, trust me, going after her proves you're willing to put her before your sense of pride."

Zuko looked doubtful, "My sense of pride yes, but not before my country, not before peace, and not before the Avatar. I think maybe I'll wait until she cools off, you're not the only one she has thrown things at today."

Toph started to laugh, "Sparky?! Are you afraid of your own girlfriend?!"

"No!" he began wringing his robes out, "But I'd rather not set myself up for failure and a puncture wound." He paused, the reality seeming to sink in, "She broke up with me . . ."

"Come on Sparky," Toph grabbed his arm, "We're going to the kitchen and getting you some Tigerberry juice, maybe some earth kingdom grog as well." She dragged. "Come on you two."

"I'm just going to work on my arm really quick." Katara made a face, looking at the fountain water which now had six fish floating belly up in it. She bent the water out of the air, when they weren't in the fire nation, that water was usually the cleanest. Then she hiked up her top, the second that had been ruined in two days.

Healing over her shoulder was difficult, but she managed to tack all the muscles back together with a bit of improvised blood bending as well, and for once, she was grateful to Hama for teaching her the technique, and for the quarter moon for enhancing her bending as it did. Luckily, since she was working on herself, she didn't also pick up any thoughts or feelings that she didn't already know about.

"You need help, Katara?" Aang was looking at her shyly.

"No, I'm okay, I'll catch up with you and Toph."

"Katara?" Aang asked again, stepping closer, "You've been acting strange for over almost a month now."

Bending her water, Katara said nothing, letting him dance around the subject.

"What's been going on with you? What else haven't you been telling me?"

Katara looked uncomfortable, "Nothing Aang, just . . . girl stuff."

"Why won't you tell me?"

Katara blushed, and tried again, "Well, it's grown up girl stuff."

"You're only fifteen."

"I'm almost old enough to marry!" Katara defended, "Just a few more months!!"

"Well, I think that maybe, you should take some time to, you know, figure out what you want." Aang chewed on his thumb nail, "Figure out what you want, and work out this thing, whatever it is, that you're going through."

"What?" Katara dropped her water, "You're breaking up with me too? Over a kiss?" Katara tried to make it sound like he was being silly, she used her most mature voice.

"Those crystals they led the way from one end of the mountain to the other and lit up in the dark Katara." Aang, sounded accusing.

"I told you what happened," Katara was starting to get angry, "Moku, Chong, and Lily said the place was cursed, they only lit up once we kissed! Both times! I don't know, Aang! I really really don't know, I just rolled with it! Maybe we should ask Bumi what kind of crystals they are, I'm sure he could tell us what happened!! I still can't believe you're breaking up with me over a kiss!"

"No, not over the kiss, and I'm not breaking up with you." Aang cut in quickly, "I just . . . you really hurt my feelings . . . I think . . . just . . ." Aang shook his head and grabbed his staff, soaring up into the air.

Katara watched him go, then sank down on the rim of the fountain, and stared morosely at the dead fish. Something glittering at the bottom caught her eye, and she reached in, retrieving the bracelet that Mai had thrown at Zuko.

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"Damn it Sparky, Katara TOLD you you should have gone after her." Toph stood next to him as he watched the Fire Nation air balloon take off and head south.

"I didn't think she would make mad dash for her ship! I thought she would sulk here for a day or two." Zuko took a sip of liquid and grimaced.

"Yea, well, Katara has this talent of always being right, even when she is wrong." Toph punched him in the arm, "You stay here, I'm going to go get Aang."

Just then Katara opened the door and stomped in, "The cook told me you took the liquor here."

"Why doesn't anyone ever knock?!" Zuko rolled his eyes, "It's MY room."

She made a b line for the jug sitting on the table and poured herself a glass, and knocked it back.

"Katara you're supposed to sip that," Toph informed her, plopping herself down on the bed.

"Sipping, right, I was getting to that," Katara poured another glass full and sat down next to Toph, sipping it moodily.

"What happened to you, Sugar Queen?" Toph asked.

"Aang is so upset with me!! He just ran off, as usual." Katara coughed, the liquid burning her throat.

"At least he didn't break up with you and run off!!" Zuko turned back to stare out the window again, watching the shrinking airship.

"Katara, you sure you should be drinking so much so fast?"

"I'm fine Toph," Katara rubbed her head, "He wants to know what's the matter with me!! What am I supposed to tell him?! He is thirteen!! That the moon is making me crazy?! Should I use finger puppets?! Has he even HAD a sex talk?"

"Aang is mature for his age." Toph defended, "I bet he would understand."

"No Toph, YOU'RE mature for your age, Aang is a thirteen year old monk!" Katara shot back, "His idea of sex is a closed mouth kiss and holding hands. He is not mature for his age, he is actually immature for his age!! I swear! Sometimes he acts like he is eight! It's all penguin sledding and glider flying, and, and running away!"

"That's not fair," Zuko turned, finally, "He is very mature about people, he is very selfless and forgiving."

Katara glowered and took another sip of her drink, but didn't argue back.

"Yea," Toph agreed, "He didn't attack Zuko at least, that's gotta count for something."

That seemed to remind the fire lord, "How's your shoulder?"

"Hurts like a mother fucker." Katara admitted, "She knew just where to sink it to make it mind numbingly painful. Lucky I am on a power trip or I wouldn't have been able to heal it properly."

"I'm sorry, she shouldn't have done that."

"I was just telling Sparky here he should be taking off after her like you said. Catching up with her in another airship would be pretty dramatic." Toph teased.

"She attacked one of my friends, I'm not going to chase after her," Zuko's voice had gone cold, "SHE owes ME . . . owes US an apology, and I'm not going to forgive her anytime soon."

"So Sparky,what was worse? Jumping in front of the lightening or getting broken up with?" Toph asked, a little more bluntly than she meant to.

Zuko poured himself another glass and ignored the question.

"I bet it was the lightening." Katara answered for him, her eyes clouding as she remembered, "He was in seizures on the ground from it, I saw it hit him, and I thought I was going to die where I stood, everything seemed to stop. I wanted to run over and help him, but the only way I could was through Azula. There was no time! Azula should have known better than to put herself between me and someone who I lo-. . . a friend who needs my help."

Toph and Zuko turned and watched her as she stared into her cup, she rarely talked about that night, and never talked about her fight with Azula. Zuko frowned, everything that happened after he had been hit was a blur.

"She was taking up the few precious seconds I had left with him. Through the whole fight I could see him there, spasming, gasping, his chest muscles were fried, and he couldn't use them to inhale and exhale properly. He was suffocating, his systems were shutting down."

Katara ran her fingers around the rim.

"I think the only reason he survived was because he tried to redirect it. But still, I remember, he was gasping, trying to talk, do you remember that Zuko? You said things. Oh spirits, you said things to me. Just . . . I just wanted to save you so badly, I don't know what these surges are, but . . . I think that was the first one, and I poured every drop of myself into trying to save you. Your nerves, they were gone, you weren't feeling any pain at that point. Your chest, it was . . . it was cooked . . . like a chicken pig, I could have peeled it off of you."

Katara's hands were shaking, her drink splashing.

"You apologized, I think, you said you were sorry for leaving me alone with Azula. You apologized for leaving me, period. You told me you were cold. I . . . My adrenaline, that's what I thought it was. Now I am not so sure. Maybe it was a surge, maybe Yue blessed me with one when I needed it. It hurt, bringing the tissues back to life, bringing you back to life. I can't explain it . . . like, our souls were candles, and yours was going out, and I had to use mine to relight it."

Zuko walked over and knelt down. He took the glass from her hand, then covered her's with his own. From the lower angle, he could see the tears dripping down her cheeks.

"The palace was empty, entirely empty, I didn't know if it would be Ozai or Aang coming back to it. Your teeth started chattering. I tried to cover you, I lay down with you. Your heart . . . your fingers and toes weren't getting enough blood . . . I tried to blood bend, I couldn't, I gave you CPR, you screamed, you screamed bloody murder. I must have fixed your nerves good as new the way you screamed, but I didn't dare stop. I didn't want to have to amputate your hands later because of tissue damage. You had such beautiful hands . . ."

Toph put her hand on Katara's knee, squeezing it.

"I thought I was going to lose you, I thought you were going to die. I thought of what an awful friend I had been, I was so mean to you. You were going to die saving me, and I had been horrible. I threatened to kill you. But there was nothing else I could do. I tried to make you comfortable, I held your hand, I lay with you. And we waited. We waited and waited, and I prayed. I prayed to every spirit I could think of. Any that might listen . . . I prayed it would be Aang getting off the airship . . . either that or that I would have the strength to defeat Ozai if he came for us . . . And that's why it was worse to be hit by lightening."

Katara grabbed her glass again and drank, making it clear the story was over.

"Weren't you going to go find Aang?" Zuko asked Toph.

"I was before Sugar Queen here showed up, now I think I better stay and chaperone." Toph looked torn.

Zuko looked at her crossly, "I don't need a chaperone."

Just then there was a knock at the door.

"It's Twinkle Toes." Toph informed them.

"Come in." Zuko yelled.

Aang walked in, looking uncomfortable.

"Katara? I thought about it, and . . . we need to talk."

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Ty Lee sat in the shade of one of the trees with the eldest warriors, watching Suki work with some of the new recruits to the Kyoshi Warriors. Their martial arts were nice, and they were learning a lot from her with her pressure point technique, but, the strange make up and cute fighting style was not the reason that she had joined the Kyoshi.

"Sifu Ty Lee! I thought you might like some water?"

Ah, there was the reason.

One of the warriors, a year younger than Ty Lee sat down next to her, offering her a full water skin.

Ty Lee smiled, and accepted, "Thank you Kisa, I'd love a drink. I watched you doing drills with the other girls, you're getting very very good!

Kisa blushed brightly enough to show through her make up, then leaned in, "Is it true what the other girls whisper about you?"

Ty Lee's smile turned to a grin, "What ever do you mean?"

"That, those pressure point attacks that you do, they can be put to other uses?"

Ty Lee nodded, then leaned in to whisper to the younger girl, "Your aura is usually sea green, but it's starting to turn orange around your throat, is there something you want to tell me?"

She crossed her fingers. She had been pining away for Kisa since she met her in the prison. Unfortunately, Kyoshi warriors had a code that the older, senior fighters could not initiate anything with the younger girls, a warrior's honor and some such nonsense. If the younger girls asked to play however, that was a different story, and Ty Lee had been willing the younger girl to get up the courage to flirt with her for weeks.

"Maybe." Kisa looked away shyly, eyeing the other Kyoshi that lounged on the grass, "Will you take a walk in the woods with me?"

"Kisa, I would LOVE to take a walk in the woods with you." The hidden meaning hung in the air between them.

The fourteen year old brightened, at once getting a lot bolder, "Great! I'll go take off my armor!" she jumped up, then looked a little unsure, "You'll wait here for me?"

Ty Lee nodded.

Kisa grinned again and scurried away.

"'Bout Damn time!" one of the other older girls laughed, "Poor Ty Lee she was practically creaming herself every time that girl walked by! It was actually starting to depress me!"

"I think she was about to go back to men!!" Another next to her laughed.

"Hey! I'm open to all opportunities." Ty Lee shot back, then eyed the young girl shimmying out of her armor inside the dojo, "But I have my preferences."

"Preferences?" one of them punched her in the arm, "You flirt like nobody's business, but as you would say, 'Your aura has never been pinker' I think our Ty has a bit of a crush."

"More than that I think, our Ty is in looove." One said, while braiding her neighbor's hair, "I wonder if Suki is going to be pleased that her younger sister has a crush on Ty." Another joked.

"Suki used to be a great roll in the grass herself, not so much after meeting that boy though. She got all disinterested, and then they started going out." The recipient of the braiding sighed wistfully.

"Sokka is all right." Ty Lee defended, "He is really REALLY handsome, I wish I had gotten a sample before they started dating."

"Most Water Tribe Men are dreamy; did you SEE the crew of that ship they came on? There was not one young man there I would refuse to take into my bed. I think its because they're so exotic . . . that dark skin, those deep blue, almond eyes . . ."

". . . large cocks."

"I don't like Sokka, he is so sexist. Thinks he is better than girls because he has a few inches on us.

"I hear that's another common trait of Water Tribe men." Another smiled, "I think Suki broke him of it real fast though, I've got a couple theories as to how."

"You know what Suki told me? Water tribe girls wear bone jewelry on their chests, she said that Katara said that ones that aren't warriors wear bone jewelry on their faces and ears too!"

Kisa was jogging back across the field, this time free of her armor, her long red hair, the same shade as Suki's, standing out against her green uniform. Ty Lee stood up.

"Alright Kisa," Ty Lee put her arm around the shorter girl's waist, "I've got some fun techniques to show you."

The other three girls giggled and held two of their fingers up and licked between them suggestively. Kisa blushed and grabbed her senior's arm and pulled, embarrassed, but not denying the implications.

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Azula looked out of her barred window, studying the landscape below. She had heard whispers of the Ozai Supporters that had smeared blue lightening bolts across their doors in the capitol. The ones who supported her brother had painted an orange eye on their thresholds, supposedly suggesting his scar.

"I brought you your dinner lady Azula." One of her nurse's put the tray on the table, the food all prepared to eat without utensils. The last time she had been given a knife she had stabbed one of her attendants.

_Useless woman, Should have seen the attack coming a mile away._

"Is there something else I can get for you?"

"Where is the Fire Lord?" Azula swayed back and forth, watching the moon rise.

"Word is he is in Omashu, with the Avatar. Do you wish to send him a message?" the woman shifted uneasily, "He wont be pleased if you send him more letters of expletives and idle threats."

"No no, and is the Avatar's girlfriend with him?"

"I know not."

"Get out of my room."

Azula turned and picked at her food, she wasn't hungry, but she was feeling oddly lucid. Things were rolling. Movements were happening. The first block had been knocked, and it had hit the next and the next. It wouldn't be long now, she could feel it.

"Only a matter of time brother . . . I'll enjoy ripping your world apart around you."

"You should be nicer to your brother." Ursa told her, "He is your elder, and the Fire Lord."

"Shut UP!" Azula bent fire at her, "It's all your fault that I am like this! I'll kill everyone, and it will be your fault! Not mine! Your fault because you made me this way!!"

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Both Toph and Zuko stood outside of Aang's room, their ears pressed to the door, straining to hear what Aang was saying.

"sss 'tara crying?" he whispered, voice slightly slurred from alcohol.

"Shh, no, her voice isn't cracking enough, she doesn't sound mad either though." Toph murmured back, her attention fixed on the room, "Stupid, thick, Omashu doors."

"'en are they gunna finish f'ightin? Its be'en hours!"

"mmMmhm nothing more I mrmMMmehm. If THAT'S the way you fmmhmmMMmm FINE!"

"Hit the deck!" Toph hissed, and they both scrambled out of the way as Katara threw the door open and walked out in a huff. They glanced at each other, and Zuko started to take off after the water bender, but Toph grabbed him and darted into Aang's room.

"What happened Twinkle Toes?"

"I told Katara we either have to take a break until she figures things out, or she has to tell me what's going on with her." Aang was sitting cross legged on his table, taking refuge in the highest point of the room.

"'hat did sh' say?" Zuko looked like he just wanted to leave and find Katara.

Aang looked at him skeptically, "Well, she stormed out and is saddling an Emu Horse to ride to the swamp as we speak. What do you think she said?!"

"I'm sorry Aang."

Aang shrugged, looking depressed.

"'ang, I need a faavor." Zuko sat down on the table's edge, "I need you t' go to the Fire Naaation and steward there for a while, 'tara and I are goin to go to find my mother."

"I doubt she will go anywhere but the swamp, she is being stubborn." Aang was drawing circles on the table with one of his fingers.

"Then me 'n her will 'eead to the fire nation aafter she plays in the mud." Zuko dismissed, "But I 'on't know how much loonger I am going to be dashing around the 'our nations . . . . I need yrrr help, 's the Avatar."

Aang was silent.

"'lease Aang?"

"I'll do it, if you do something for me."

"What?"

"Go with Katara to the swamp, make sure she isn't eaten by a catgator or a mammoth swamp python, and . . . . help her, with whatever is bothering her in any way you can. I just want the old Katara back."

"I promise 'ng, I'll brin' 'er back in one piece."

"I'll need a fire bending instructor while I am in your court, I haven't mastered Fire and Earth yet."

"I'll 'range ne frr you." Zuko promised.

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Katara huffed, packing her bags, she had not had time to go shopping in the marketplace and get new traveling cloths, so she shoved her dirty, blood stained ones into her pack. She grabbed a bottle of Dragon Tongue Rum and took a shot right from it, wiping her mouth on her sleeve.

_How dare he give me an ultimatum like that!!_ She fumed, blinking back tears.

She shoved her dagger into her belt, and pulled her water skin over her back. She wobbled as she walked across the room, then banged into the table, still drunk.

_Who does he think he is?! He is supposed to be supporting me!!_

There was a knock at the door.

"GO AWAY!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"'s me, 'tara, you're one angry drunk." Zuko knocked again.

"UUUGH!!" Katara growled, but flung the door open.

"'tara, you c'an't just go tearing out o' here." Zuko shut the door behind him, "You're still d'runk,

"mm NOT drunk! This ss ALL your fault!!" Katara whirled and lost her balance, falling into him, and he caught her wrists.

Zuko held her wrists , taking a deep breath and counting to three, thinking sober thoughts.

"'tara, you're not thinkin'g straight right now." Taking a few steps forward he walked her backwards and sat her down on her bed, "Right now, 'ou should be sleepin'it off."

"Noo! 'm fine!" Katara almost whined, making Zuko painfully aware of their two year age difference. She was definitly acting her fifteen and a half years.

"No, you're d'runk, and angry." Zuko sat down next to her and gave her a hug, "I know. Just, stay one more night, and you and I will go to the swamp together tomorrow."

Katara brooded, staring at her hands, and then buried her face in them, pulling her knees up to her chest. Rolling to her side, she put her head in Zuko's lap. The fire lord sighed and stroked her hair, trying to bury his own loss by dealing with her tantrum.

"Y' 'ink he'ill take me back ff I get this s'orted out?"

Zuko shrugged, depressed, "Yes, much more likely he will than Mai will forgive me . . . that girl can hold a grudge . . . ."

"I'm soo sorry I 'essed up 'ings for you." Katara's eyes began to tear, and she gripped one of his knees, "It w'as my idea t' take the cave . . ."

"Stop apologizing, I should be apologizing, I'm sorry she attacked you." Zuko rested his hand on her shoulder.

"I 'eserved it . . ." Katara's eyes were closing, she was calming down and starting to pass out.

"It's just, she missed me so much, I think she was the only one besides Iroh who would have been sad to see me go."

""uko, you don't need to 'xplain yourself, 'ove is 'ove . . ." she squeezed his knee, her eyes closed.

"I guess," Zuko began stroking her hair again, "I thought I had something . . . maybe not."

He looked down at her, her head pillowed on his thigh, and broke into a small, sad smile, "Or maybe I do after all . . ."

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**Ok, I don't want to go into a deep character analysis, but the question of Zuko's submissiveness, I basically pulled it from The Beach, where he let Mai boss him around for almost all the episode until he finally blew up at the end of it. I assumed he would react the same way if another bossy girl that he liked was telling him what to do. **

**Since Zuko has not really interacted with any of the other characters until this chapter, that was the only facet of his personality exposed. I can see how he seems OOC though, and please tell me if it doesn't seem to be improving. OOCness is my biggest hurdle in writing fan fiction.**

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**Happy Birthday Blueberry Girl!! I come bearing the gift of Zutara . . . or did you want myrrh? Cause I can run over to the New Age shop . . .  
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**Wow, 20 reviews in one day? Thanks loyal readers, you guys are the best!! For that I got this chapter out as quickly as I could. I never thought my story would be so popular!! Am I living up to everyone's expectations?**

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**Hope you liked, R&R, questions, comments, reviews, complaints, requests, links to fan art you drew for me and want me to show off.**

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**Remember kids, don't drink and fire bend.**


	10. Chapter 10: The Kyoshi

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: PG-13

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Pairing:** Zutara

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 9: The Kyoshi**

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Katara woke, her head pounding, and she whimpered burying her head back into her pillow. Her pillow grunted and batted at her shoulder, making her sit up with a start. Her head had been pillowed on Zuko's chest, he must have stayed with her once she had passed out, her shoes were still on, but a cover was draped over them. One of his hands was still tangled in her hair.

She glanced out the window, it was dark out, she had passed out in the early evening, but not that early. She should have slept through the night.

Zuko shifted, brushed the hair back from his face, scratched his nose, and then stilled. Katara put her head back down on him again, putting her hand on his stomach. Her body flared to life like she had blown on the embers of a fire.

Checking again to make sure he was asleep, pressed closer, flattening herself against his side, and resting one of her legs on him. For a few seconds, her nerve and logic battled with her curiosity and hormones, then she reached up and touched his face, running her fingers across the stubble that was starting to prickle out of his chin.

Aang never had stubble, his voice had barely even started to change. Katara quickly shoved the thoughts of Aang out of her mind, and went back to her exploration. From his cheek, they moved to his scar, tracing over the rough skin, then across his strong brow and down his nose.

She had hoped that some physical contact would quiet her body, but instead it only seemed to sharpen her desires. She wanted to straddle the Fire Lord and kiss him, to pull his cloths off, she tried to shake the impulses from her head, reminding herself that she and Zuko were fast friends, and nothing more. He had never made any sort of indication that he wanted more.

Except for the few fleeting moments when she caught him looking at her with a peculiar expression of admiration, his eyes full of sadness.

She glanced wistfully at the half empty bottle of alcohol on her dresser. One shot would probably relax her enough to get back to sleep . . .

"Oh no, the only thing you're drinking is water."

She turned back, regarding the pair of golden eyes, positively glowing in the dark. He was watching her gaze at the bottle.

_Oh spirits, was he feigning sleep?!_ She tried not to let the panic she felt show in her face.

Katara considered her options, huffing would probably make her head hurt worse, ignoring him and laying back . . . . well, parts of her were almost too eager to do that, and fighting him . . . she wasn't feeling too picky about what kind of physical contact it was.

"That's what I was going to do." She tried to sound matter of fact.

She sat up, something yanked on her hair, her stomach lurched, and she lay back down, wondering if she could bend the liquid in her stomach so as not to throw up.

"Take deep breaths." Zuko propped himself up on his elbows.

"How did YOU sober up so quickly?" she asked, accusingly.

"Fire bending, I can burn the alcohol off of my bloodstream if I want to. Since you were so upset, I thought I better clear my head."

"Ugh, can you do it to other people?"

Zuko shook his head, "I can't tell where your blood is."

"Ough, my head." Katara found a pillow pillow and buried her face in it.

"Come on 'tara," he held the glass out to her.

"Ok, ok." She sat up and took the glass from him, draining it cooperatively, then flopped back on her bed, "What are you doing in my room?"

"I got stuck." He muttered sheepishly, lifting his wrist to show that her hair was hopelessly tangled in the clasp of his bracelet, "I tried to wake you! You were out cold!" he added defensively when she glared.

"What time is it?"

"About two in the morning."

She groaned, "Ugh, Zuko . . ."

"Sorry . . ."

Katara's grabbed her hair and gave it a good yank, wondering why she had ever stopped wearing a braid. Braids never got tangled in jewelry. With a little bit of pulling, most of it came free, she untangled the rest by hand, then stood up. Still feeling far too frisky for her liking, and not having an outlet made her angry, the fire bender needed to leave, quickly, before she got any ideas.

"You can go now." She dismissed him haughtily, pointing at the door for emphasis.

If it hurt Zuko's feelings, he didn't show it, simply stood and brushed by her, closing the door softly behind him, and his air of uncaring made Katara angrier. She contemplated throwing something, but decided against it, acting angry would only reinforce the fact that she WAS angry over something so silly.

_Stupid moon._ Katara grumped, _Somehow, this is all her fault._

She decided that now that she was up, she might as well get ready to go. The sun would be up in three or four hours, and hopefully she could put some miles between her stupid, over considerate, immature, tween semi boyfriend.

Grabbing a towel she headed down the hallway, making for Omashu's public bathhouse. Her skin was feeling greasy and gross, and her face threatened to break out if she put off washing it much longer.

_Hurray for being a teenager._ She thought, pushing the door to the baths open, _arranged marriage, acne, and awkward hormonal surges, I can't believe I still have three more years of this!_

The baths were deserted, she hadn't expected there to be anyone around at what must be three in the morning, so she quickly gathered the soaps she wanted, and then sunk down into the tepid water to feel sorry for herself.

…

…

…

…

"Why did you say yes?!" Toph was livid, her voice rising to a shouting level, "How much of a push over are you?"

Aang studied his toes, scuffing the dirt, and Toph figured that she had about 40 more seconds before he made a break for the window.

"You're just going to LET them run off to the swamp together?! After they kissed?! After Mai broke up with Zuko?! You should insist that Katara comes with you!! She feels guilty, she'll do it!!"

"I don't want to make her do something because she feels guilty." Aang defended.

"Come on Twinkle Toes, we all know Katara will guilt someone into doing something if she can, you should treat her the same! Plus, on top of everything, you agree to go to the fire nation?! I would have told his lordship to shove it if I were in your position."

"I have to help maintain the peace, I am the Avatar." It was Aang's usual excuse, the one he always gave as reasoning for why he did any of the silly stuff he did.

"It's because you're a monk right?" Toph accused him, "Was it all peace, love, and polyamourousness in the air temples?"

"I want to go antelope bear riding." Aang started for the door, and Toph stepped in front of him, barring his way.

"No, we are having a confrontation. Earth bender to Earth bender. So you better pull some Avatar Kyoshi stubbornness out of your hat really fast!"

Aang tried to sidestep her, but she stepped again, twisted her feet, and the land under Aang moved, and the inertia sat him down on one of his chairs.

"Look!" Aang crossed his arms, his voice cracking, "What am I supposed to do?!"

"Get angry, get jealous, tell her how she makes you feel, BREAK something!" Toph leaned closer to his face with every option she listed, making Aang sink down further into the chair, "I can't believe you're just going to take this lying down!! You're really going to give up without a fight?!"

"I don't like fighting, I prefer to avoid it . . . so, that's a no on the antelope bear-"

"What IS it with you?!" Toph bent a slab of rock up and sat on it.

Aang fidgeted but said nothing.

Toph wiggled her toes, staring sightlessly off to the left, waiting for him to answer.

"I barely see her anymore," Aang finally said, "I saw her at Zuko's coronation, I saw her when Zuko threw the party for the grand opening of Iroh's tea shop, I saw her at the wedding, and I saw her now. It's been months . . . and each time, things seem a little more off. She is a little older, and she definitely acts much much older."

Toph snorted.

"No, it's true."

"Katara always acts like Katara, motherly, temperamental, a spoilsport, and likely to do something stupid and reckless."

"Don't talk about her like that!" Aang defended, standing, which made Toph jump to her feet too.

"Aang, do you know what is going to happen when two teenagers who have just had their hearts broken, take a wade through a hot, sticky, primitive swamp together? Have you even heard the rumors of that swamp and what goes on there?"

"You have visions, you see things, people you have loved and lost. I saw you, remember?" Aang put a finger on his chin, thinking, "I wonder if that means I'll love you and lose you in the future."

"Yes, yes," Toph said impatiently, her cheeks turning pink, "That's not what I am talking about though, I meant what goes on with the water benders there. The water bending women, haven't you heard the whispers?!"

Aang stared at her blankly.

"Ugh!!" Toph threw up her hands, "Congratulations Twinkle Toes. You are royally fucked."

Aang cringed at her cursing, "What happens in the swamps?"

Toph shook her head, "You tell me why you are letting her off and maybe I'll tell you about the swamp."

Aang looked longingly at the window, Toph must have felt it because she stepped between him and where his staff was leaned against the wall.

"Because . . . because she doesn't love me!!" Aang finally stammered, tears stinging his eyes, "I can TELL!! She WANTS me, but she doesn't LOVE me . . . not like I love her. Because Hakoda . . . He wants me to MARRY her!! He EXPECTS me to!! I'm only thirteen!! I don't wanna get married!! He asked me if I am going to propose when she turns 16!!" He wipes his eye with the heel of his hand.

Toph stood, silent, then finally said, "So that's it!! You're scared of making a commitment!! Married at 14? That's gross, water tribe customs are gross, What with the body piercing, the sexism, the arranged marriages . . ." She decided not to push the subject of Katara any further or he would really start to cry, and then she would feel badly.

"Body piercing?"

She changed the subject, walking to his door and opening it, "Better start packing then Twinkle Toes, apparently we're heading for the fire nation this afternoon."

"Hey!!" he followed, "You said you would tell me about the swamp . . . and what are body piercing?!"

"Aang!!" Zuko came jogging down the hallway, "I was looking for you, Katara is almost ready to ride out, don't you think that you should try to smooth things over with her?"

Aang looked from the panting Zuko to Toph, who had already strolled away down the hallway, and was pretending to admire a view out the window. He could see Toph was angry, and he wished silently that he could see Ty Lee again, all the girls that followed him seemed to have such tempers. He couldn't think of a time when the acrobat had lost hers.

"I . . . umm . . ." Aang didn't want to appear a coward, but the idea of facing the enraged fifteen and a half year old did not appeal to him, "Just tell her I am sorry."

Zuko pursed his lips, looking vaguely disappointed in his pupil, then strode over to Toph, giving her a hug "Okay. Toph, I'll see you soon."

Toph grinned, "Hahaha, I wish it was mutual."

…

…

…

…

Katara rode in silence for a few hours, listening to the Fire Lord humming under his breath as their mounts ambled along, occasionally snitching emu horse sized mouthfuls of grass from the side of the path.

"Think we should make camp?"

Katara shrugged.

Both of them were depressed, and neither particularly felt like talking.

"Maybe another mile." Zuko dismissed it, dropping his stirrups, and rotating his ankles.

And so it proceeded through the rest of the ride, the making of camp and the eating of the dinner Katara cooked. Instead of rolling out her mat and tent right next to him to better facilitate late night chatter, she set up her things across the fire from him and sat in silence as the night wore on. Two days of travel passed, they followed the shoreline south, heading for the bangrove swamp. As they plodded along, they barely said two words to each other all day, when finally on the third night, Katara couldn't take the awkward silence any longer.

"You want to work on your chest scar?" Katara asked, trying to break the quiet, she drew a squiggly line in the dirt with a stick, her chin resting on her knees.

"Maybe later." Zuko sat, cross legged, meditating in front of his tent.

"You want to teach me more of the Dancing Dragon?"

Zuko shook his head.

"You want to play a guessing game?"

Zuko shook his head.

"Zuko, I'm going stir crazy just sitting here!" She complained, "How can you just sit there?"

Zuko cracked an eye open, "Katara I am trying to meditate . . . my purpose in life is not to amuse you, go brush the emu horses or collect more firewood or read your scrolls if you're bored."

Katara crinkled her nose, she didn't really want to do anything, what she wanted was for Zuko to give her attention, mainly because lately, he had been making her feel hot and bothered no matter what phase the moon was. "What was it like to see a dragon?"

"Why don't you come sit and meditate with me?" Zuko offered, his nerves starting to fray.

Katara decided that that was the best offer she was going to get, so she stood and crossed the circle of firelight, sitting down next to him cross legged as he scooted to face her instead of the fire.

Bending the water in the air into two pools in her hands, she held her left hand palm up and her right hand palm down, and waited for him to mirror her. After a few moments of eyeing the water, Zuko placed his hands against hers, his fingers touching her wrists, palms against the meniscus of the water.

Just like when she healed, the water began to glow silver, and she cleared her mind, focusing on her breathing. Her breath began to sync with the tide, the pull of the moon, she focused on the ebb and flow of the waves, finding the rhythm, and pushing and pulling on Zuko's energies, cycling it around from their left, around their shoulders, and then around and out their right.

She suddenly became very aware of the man sitting knee to knee with her, his breathing in time with hers, his blood pumping, his mind clear and open.

She heard him whisper something, but didn't quite catch it.

"What was that?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Yes you did! I heard you."

"Well, what was it?"

"I didn't catch it, something about the swamp."

"I didn't say anything, I thought 'relax, tomorrow we'll reach the swamp.'"

"Well, you must have said it out loud." Katara concluded.

"I didn't." he persisted, then seemed to make a decision, "Katara, do that thing you did to Jet to me!" he dropped his hands and beckoned.

"I didn't do ANYTHING to Jet, what has Toph been saying?! He wasn't my boyfriend!"

"No, I mean, that thing you said, when you unlocked his memories. When you saw snatches into his mind."

"Oh," _Stupid hormones, _"It was just a reaction, usually I need a wound or something to trigger a memory. But okay, I'll try, just sit still." She got up and kneeled behind him, placing her healing water over his temples.

Zuko straightened and closed his eyes, resuming his meditation.

Katara closed her eyes, throwing his mind open like two double doors and walked inside. It was overwhelming, he was panicking, trying to shove memories away and down deep, were she couldn't see them. Things he was ashamed of, things he didn't want her to know.

A twitch of her finger and she accidentally touched his scar, the healing water bringing her into the memory of the wound, she was on a dais, Ozai was above her, she could feel the tears on her face. Iroh was there, disgusted with his brother, so was Azula, looking excited, looking happy. Katara found herself falling on her knees, bowing again and again, apologizing, begging forgiveness, fear coiled in a tight knot in her stomach. Ozai was saying something, but she didn't hear it, the blood was pounding too loudly in her ears, a fire ball appeared in the Fire Lord's right hand, and he pressed it to her face in a bone shattering smack. She felt the force of it snap her head back and knock her backwards off her knees, the side of her head cracked the floor, and she bit her tongue, though that couldn't compare with the horrible feeling exploding from her face.

Everyone was talking, most were cheering, calling out to Ozai, jeering at her, though they said Zuko's name. She felt the wash of his emotions, the humiliation, the degradation, the pain, the betrayal, the hurt. She felt herself move unbidden, trapped in the fourteen year old body of the fire Prince, and he reached up, hand shaking to touch his face. The pain from the contact was unbearable, and she screamed aloud, losing her concentration, her body crumpled and she clutched her hands to her face.

Zuko grabbed her shoulders and yanked her hands away, and swore, she struggled, trying to grab for her face again, and he pinned her, putting a knee onto her stomach, though he wasn't strong enough to pin her wrists to the ground. Her abs contracted, her diaphragm began to heave, and she started to hyperventilate.

"Katara! Katara!!" He hauled her up to a sitting position, and shook her by the wrists.

Hearing her name helped. Things started to register, and she stopped struggling, though her breathing did not slow, and she rolled over onto her side, dragging the Fire Lord with her as he refused to let go of her.

"We aren't doing this again! Your eye is all red, how is your body reacting like these things are happening to you?!"

"That's why . . . we're going to . . . to the swamp . . . 'member?" between gasps, a sob escaping from her lips.

"No more mind reading, no more scar-healing, not until we have a master who can teach you!" He was shaken, his voice cracking, "Spirits only know the memories father has in his mind that you might run into!!"

Katara didn't answer, but held her face, it still hurt, but the pain was fading, her eyes were still streaming though, her body shaking, convulsing. Her breathing refused to steady, and she started to see white sparks in front of her vision.

"Breathe 'tara, nice and slow."

"I always . . . I always Imagined it . . . was horrible . . . but I . . . never thought . . ." She started between gasps, her head feeling light.

"Maybe it's mental, breathe in, you're mind is experiencing these things, breathe out, so your body thinks its hurt, breathe in, your nerves react accordingly. Breathe out. Lets see?"

Katara uncovered her face, the aggravated skin around her left eye was fading back to it's normal olive. Her body still shook, his memory still fresh in her mind, the pain, the betrayal, the shame. She had been embarrassed before in her life, but she understood now the depth of the shame that Zuko had felt, how deep the cut was in his soul, and how it humiliated him even then to be scarred. It was far worse than any embarrassment that she felt, nothing could compare, and he still had to bear the physical burden.

Her head felt better, her breathing returning to normal, and she crawled back to sit next to him. She studied his face for a long time, and after a minute of looking uncomfortable, he turned his head so only the good side of his face was visible to her.

"I felt-"

"It's been years, it doesn't haunt me anymore." He cut her off, picking up a leaf and shredding it.

Katara didn't need Toph to know that he was lying. Her maternal instincts took over, rallying her, and she found herself turning his head, and reaching out to touch his disfigurement. The skin was coarse and red, but not unpleasant. She found she had been touching him more and more latly.

Zuko froze again, as he had in the cave under Ba Sing Se, as he always did when she touched his face, as though he was waiting for the exclamations of revulsion to spew from her mouth. He looked down and away, his body stiffening, avoiding eye contact.

_He's hurt, do something!_ Her instincts kicked in, and without really thinking it through, she leaned forward and brushed her lips against the uneven skin.

Zuko's breath hitched in his throat. She was finally kissing him, no strings, no outside influences, and she chose to kiss him on his mangled forehead? It was not fair.

"I shouldn't have asked you to try." He said closing his eyes as she nuzzled his temple, resisting the urge to press her down into his bedroll and kiss her furiously.

"Zuko . . ." He heard her sigh his name, then, he yelped as he felt Katara's lips brush his, it jolted him back into himself. Pushing her off, he crab walked backwards, scrambling away. She was still Aang's girlfriend, she waould always be Aang's girlfriend, it was wrong, he was a bad friend, he was already a bad friend, he didn't want to make it worse.

"I . .! I can't! . . . I shouldn't! You're . . . and Aang . . . I should! I . . bed!" Zuko leapt to his feet and bolted into his tent.

Katara sat still for several moments, staring blankly at the closed tent flap. She blinked back tears, hurt that he had rejected her.

_What did you think he was going to do?_ Katara mentally berated herself, _He just broke up with his girlfriend, great timing Katara, really, genius. He is probably still broken up and hurt and confused . . . Way to go. You've spoiled everything now._

She stood, dusting off her knees, and bent water onto the coals, using the hiss of the dying flames to cover up a sniffle. Then she strode over to her tent and crawled in, throwing herself miserably onto the bedroll.

She had as good as admitted she liked him, that she wanted him, and he had as good as told her it wasn't reciprocated.

…

…

…

…

Mai looked out over the ocean. She was thoroughly shaken by her behavior in front of Zuko. Her ancestors must be rolling over in their graves. She regretted having broken up with him, she also regretted throwing a knife at his friend Katara, she tried to figure out what had come over her.

The moon was rising, and it cast an eerie silver light on the waves, and the Island in the distance.

"Lady Mai, We have reached Kyoshi Island, We will land in about a half hour."

Mai nodded, acknowledging him.

She was feeling devastated and alone, she really wanted to see Ty Lee. She daydreamed how the acrobat would greet her with a hug and a kiss, even though she arrived in the middle of the night. Mai put her head down on the rail, she really needed some consoling.

The airship landed in the harbor, startling the Koi fish from their slumber. A huge sea monster lazily stuck it's head up to investigate, then dove again, deeming the balloon inedible.

Mai quickly shuffled through the town with her escort, and made her way to the Kyoshi's dojo. Two of the girls on the graveyard watch were nodding there in the torchlight, but quickly snapped to attention as she approached.

"What business have you so late, sister?" one of them asked, formally, straightening and adjusting her headband. She looked about twelve, and she barely reached Mai's chin.

"I'm here to see Ty Lee, I'm Lady Mai, of the Fire Nation, I'm an old friend, I just arrived."

"Your escorts must stay here, men are not allowed on the premises unless they have been approved by a senior warrior." The other one informed her, her long dark brown hair pulled into a ponytail.

"Please put your hands flat against the wall, we need to check you for concealed weapons."

One of her escorts chuckled, and his companion quickly elbowed him in the side.

"I shall disarm." Mai announced, and she pulled the assorted daggers out of her sleeve holsters, placing them on the porch. Then she pulled open her jacket and began emptying her under arm holsters where she kept her throwing stars, then her thighs where she kept her stiletto blades, and finally to her boots where she pulled out five of her largest knives.

"Your hair too please." Ponytail reminded her.

Mai rolled her eyes and pulled out two stiletto blades, only slightly longer and thicker than needles. Then she leaned against the wall and let the two girls pat her down. They found six more daggers, three on her inner thigh, two under her shoulder blades, and one between her breasts, and one more throwing star, sunken into the sole of one of her boots. They missed two.

"How do you keep so many?! Doesn't it get uncomfortable?" The first asked, awed by the growing pile of blades.

"Hush, girl!" Ponytail scolded her, apparently they were not supposed to chit chat.

"It takes getting used to." Mai responded, staring through the doorway blankly.

"Alright," The older one nodded, you're free to go in, Lein, show her where Ty Lee's cell is."

Her companion, the twelve year old, nodded and picked up one of the torches, gesturing for Mai to follow her into the darkened dormitory. They walked down two separate halls, and down another, Lein attempting to chat again.

"It's down this way, the older girl's get their own rooms, larger ones too, the younger recruits have to bunk together. I hate it, I got stuck with a top bunk, theyre horrible to make, and they gotta be perfect, there are six of us in the room too. I can't wait until I master everything and earn my own cell." She prattled on, taking Mai down a long hallway lined with doors.

"Here we are," She knocked, "Master Ty Lee, you have a visitor, please wake up?" She called respectfully, knocking on the door again.

"Who's the new girl, Lein?" the door across from Ty Lee's opened and a groggy, makeupless Kyoshi stuck her head out.

"Said she was a Lady Mai, of the Fire Nation . . ." Something dawned on the younger girl, "Wait, THE Lady Mai of the Fire Nation?! Like, dating the Fire Lord, Lady Mai of the Fire Nation?!"

"No, I'm not dating the Fire Lord." She answered, her voice biting.

There was a thump and a scramble coming from inside the room, and then they heard footsteps across the wood floor. Ty Lee opened up, looking muzzy, her hair in disarray, and some vestiges of eyeliner clinging to her eyelid. She had her green robe loosely wrapped around her, inside out, and it was clear she was wearing nothing underneath.

"Mai? What are you doing here?" she yawned, morning breath not quite having set in yet, then took a good look at Mai, or Mai's aura, "What's wrong? What happened? Something happened, tell me what!"

"I broke up with Zuko." The assassin stated, looking to the side.

"So you ARE the Lady Mai!" Lein grinned, balling her hands into fists and moving them up and down in excitement, the movement making the torch she was holding dip back and forth, casting wild shadows all down the hallway.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that!" Ty Lee hugged her, her robe opening up as she threw her arms around her old schoolmate's shoulders, "He made you so happy, well, sometimes, what happened?"

More doors were opening, more Kyoshi were peering out, and Mai guessed that others were pressing their ears to their doors, curious, but not wanting to be rude. She could see Suki poking her head out, and shushing Sokka at the far end of the hallway.

"He cheated on me." Mai said sharply, making it clear that she didn't want to talk about it.

"With who?!" Ty Lee asked, ignoring her friend's demeanor.

"Katara." Mai hissed, keeping her voice down, Water Tribe men must have excellent hearing though, because a moment later, Sokka was stomping down the hallway, and several of the girl's jumped in between him and Mai, instantly taking her side.

"Back off!!" One of them ordered, pointing her fan at his nose, and he stopped his advance.

"My baby sister wouldn't do such a thing!!" He yelled past the girls, undoubtedly waking up everyone else in the building.

"Stop it Sokka!! She isn't your 'baby sister' she is a woman! And, although, I don't support her choice of taking up with a spoken for man, she has a right to make it!! She is a few months shy of sixteen!! She is nearly old enough to marry!! She can take a man into her bed if she wants to!! Are you going to chaperone her wedding night too?"

Mai ignored him completely, and looked meaningfully at Ty Lee, "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry about what happened, I was thinking, maybe . . . you and I . . .you might forget what happened. I don't want to be alone right now." Mai looked down, hoping she had put it delicately enough, but doubting it.

There was the sound of a bed squeaking, and another girl appeared, she had the same fair skin and red hair as Suki's, only longer, and her nose was different than her sister's as well. Most importantly, she was naked and wrapped in Ty Lee's blanket.

"Ty, what's all the shouting about?"

"Kisa!!" Suki let go of Sokka, "What are you doing?!"

"Who are you?" Kisa asked, her eyes getting big as she eyed the older raven haired teenager, staring daggers at her.

"Who are you?" Mai shot back, her voice trembling.

"I'm Kisa, Suki's younger sister, I'm Ty Lee's . . ." She cast a questioning glance at Ty Lee, unsure how to finish.

"Girlfriend." Ty Lee finished for her.

Kisa's face lit up, and she smiled proudly, "girlfriend." She finished, repeating it.

"Kisa!!" Suki scolded her, "You're FAR too young to be hopping into another girl's bed!!"

"What was that you were telling me about MY baby sister again, Suki?" Sokka asked, finding a way to be both smug and angry at the same time.

"Aw, come on Suki!" One of the other girls catcalled, "You were about her age when you started hopping into other girl's beds!!"

Suki reddened, though it was unclear if it was anger or shame.

"What's this about you hoping into other girl's beds?!" Sokka asked, his voice full of shock, and perhaps some boyish anticipation.

"I'm sorry Mai, I am not available." Ty Lee explained, looking, furtively at the other Kyoshi, "Anyways, you said that being with women wasn't ladylike, that you were bringing shame onto your family, you said you liked Zuko, you wanted to be with him."

"Yes, I did LIKE Zuko. I DO like Zuko!" Mai agreed, her face a mask, "I certainly did not want to see him die, or get hurt, or run off with another girl. You think I deserve this because I left you for him?" she accused caustically.

"I never said that Mai," Ty Lee unconsciously took a step between the aristocrat and Kisa, "I just wont take you back, I'm not going to leave Kyoshi, I'm not going to be your rebound, and it hurts my feelings that you would try to use me like that!"

"Ty?" Kisa grabbed her sleeve, looking a little awed, "She is your ex girlfriend from the Fire Academy for Girls? The one you told me about?"

Ty Lee nodded, "Yes, we were girlfriends for a while, on and off, first she thought it was improper for two woman to be together outside the academy, then she wanted to break up because she decided that she liked Zuko better, and he was safer, more politically correct."

"Don't talk about it." Mai said suddenly, "I don't want it reaching my father's ears!"

Ty Lee sighed, "Lein, please find Mai a dorm and get her settled in for the night."

"Alright, show is over!" Suki clapped her hands loudly, "All you moppets get back to bed!"

Suddenly the hallway was swarming with nine to fifteen year olds, scrambling to get back to their rooms.

"You too Kisa!" Suki pointed with her thumb.

"But I-"

"It's okay, just run and get your cloths, and I'll see you tomorrow morning," Ty Lee patted the girl on the shoulder, trying to diffuse the argument.

"No!" Kisa whined, "You can't order us around about who our lovers are, its part of the code!"

"I'm not telling you you can't as your leader, I am telling you you cant as your older sister!"

Kisa turned and stomped her foot in a show of teenage petulance, and reached up and gave Ty Lee a long kiss, her arms snaking around the taller girl's neck and twining through her brown hair. She moaned softly and she deepened the kiss, and then nuzzled her girlfriend's chin affectionately.

Sokka made a small noise that sounded suspiciously like a whimper, and Suki grabbed him and turned him, and shoved him back in the direction of their bedroom, "Never mind! Do what you want!"

"Wait!" Sokka resisted futilly, "What's this about Katara and Zuko!!"

"So . . . If you wouldn't mind coming with me?" Lein mumbled, tapping Mai on the elbow.

Mai stood watching her ex girlfriend kiss the younger Kyoshi, her feelings of betrayal resurfacing. She grabbed the torch and flounced took off down the hall.

Ty Lee pushed Kisa away and apologized, "Sorry, she is still a friend, I'll be back though, ten minutes, MAI!!" She took off after her.

"Take your time!" Kisa called back, unthreatened, closing the door and leaving an amused Lein in the hallway.

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"Mai!!" Ty Lee grabbed the assassin's shoulder as she stormed across the yard, back towards her airship.

"What Ty Lee?!"

"I'm sorry, I got carried away?" the Kyoshi tried.

"Whatever." Mai turned again, her voice icy.

"Mai, don't be like that, you're aura is turning black in your heart chakra and icky brown around your head, you need to heal, you need to take some time and get it all off your chest, before you do something you regret."

Mai stopped, then turned, "I thought you were my friend!!" her voice cracked, but remained monotone.

"I am your friend!" Ty Lee reassured her, "I'll always be your friend!"

"Then why aren't you angry at Katara and Zuko?" Mai stepped in, "Zuko kissed her, he betrayed me."

"He kissed her? Is that all?!" Ty Lee looked relieved, Mai was just making a mountain out of a mole hill, "A kiss isn't worth breaking up over!"

Mai mouthed a swear, Ty Lee was NOT helping. She turned and started away again.

"Mai, please don't do this?" Ty Lee followed, pleading, "Just stay here the night and maybe things will look better in the morning."

"I thought he loved me." Mai continued her brisk clip towards the airship.

"Did he ever say he loved you?" Ty Lee asked, then hurriedly put in, "I mean, I'm sure he loves you! What's not to love?"

"I thought you loved me." Mai stopped and turned again, the brunette nearly skidded into her.

"I do love you, just not like that, not anymore, you said you wanted to be just friends, remember?" Ty Lee reminded her.

"Leave that whiny kyoshi and come back to the fire nation with me." Mai tempted her, "I don't want to be alone." She leaned in and tried to kiss her lithe comrade.

"Stop! You're being unreasonable." Ty Lee took a step back and crossed her arms, dodgeing the come on, her sympathy draining.

"I'm NOT being unreasonable!!" Mai finally let the venom she felt show in her voice, "Zuko hurt ME!!"

"No, you're being spoiled!" Ty Lee was taken aback by the sudden emotion in her friend's voice, and matched it, "You want me to drop my life and everything to come back and play house with you for a few months until you feel homophobic enough, and in denial enough to leave me for a man . . . again!"

"You were better." Mai complemented, trying to flatter her into agreement, "Zuko was a horrid lover."

"We aren't playing this game," Ty Lee snapped, "I can see in your aura what you're doing, you're projecting it in your energy clear as day! Just, go back to the Fire Nation and cool off, we'll talk when you aren't being so toxic."

She turned on her heels and tromped back to the dormitories, "I'll tell your escort to bring your weapons to the airship." She called over her shoulder before disappearing inside.

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"Do you think we should leave the Emu Horses here?" Zuko asked, making a face at the muddy swamp, "I don't think they can go much further," He unsheathed his sword and chopped through several vines that were barring the way. They had both been diligently pretending that the previous evening had not happened.

"Zuko, don't do that!" Katara scolded, things had been awkward all morning, and being knee deep in mud in her favorite pair of shoes was not helping her mood. She was determined to stick it out and figure out exactly what was going on with her bending, and the swamp was the only place she could think of where there might be other female water benders who were not solely healers.

"Don't do what?" Zuko sliced another bunch of the plants, and took a step forward.

"That! Slicing the vines!" Katara followed him, tugging on her Emu Horse's reigns, but the dapple beast brayed and refused to budge. Her foot slipped, and she fell on her butt in the mud, her emu horse grunted and lipped her hair.

"Well, how do you propose we navigate through the swamp then?" Zuko asked, grabbing one of the branches nearby and holding out his other hand to her.

Katara heaved herself to her feet, ignoring the hand, "I'm not sure."

"Well, what direction should we go to get to the swamp men settlement?"

"I don't know."

Zuko stared at her, "Are you kidding me?! You dragged me all the way to this slimy quagmire and you don't know how to find the water benders?!"

"Well . . ."

"And Uncle accused ME of not thinking things through!"

"Okay! I get it!" Katara tapped her cheek, thinking, smearing mud on it, "I'll figure something out."

Zuko sat on a rotten log, preparing for a long wait or amusing show.

"When I was here with Aang, we met a water bender called Hue." Katara waded into the water, running her fingertips across the surface of the water, "He said, the swamp is one big organism, that everything is connected, that time, space, and death are an illusion. Then, I had a dream about Yue, and she told me, 'the river always knows the best course to take'."

"I think she meant it metaphorically."

"And then, Aang heard voices coming from the swamp, coming from the trees." Katara sank down into the water, placing her head down against the roots, and closing her eyes.

"That's great, let's just ask the swamp where the settlement is!" Zuko said sarcastically, swatting at a mosquito, "Hurry up, these bugs are awful!!"

Katara raised an eyebrow, they weren't bothering her . . .

She concentrated on the swamp, ignoring his grumbling, the bark of the bangrove root was rough against her forehead and nose, the water of the river lapped against her shoulders, and the humid air pressed against her stiflingly.

Nothing.

She turned over and took a breath, sunk to the muddy bottom, and opened her eyes. The water was gross, filled with green algae and strange froglike fish, weird sticky plants twisted around her arms, torso, and ankles, and she rested her palms on the muddy riverbed and listened, her hair floating around her like the kelp.

_Kaaaaaaaaaaaataaaaaaaaaraaaaaaaaa_

She strained, listening through the water.

_Kataaaraaaa, Kaaaaaataaaaaaaaraaa, _the seaweed parted, and she looked across the lake, there was a boat, half sunken in the silt in the middle of the river,

_Foooooollow the viiiineeeees, Kaaaaaataaaaraaaaaaa_

Katara's lungs burned, and she tried to yank her hands out of the agar, it wrapped tighter around her, and she coughed and began to struggle.

Zuko counted in his head, getting more and more anxious, he was at one hundred thirty eight when a large amount of bubbles surfaced where Katara had submerged.

"Katara?" He skidded over the mud to the water's edge, "Katara!! KATARA!!"

The water began to splash. Something was wrong.

The more Katara pulled, the more the seaweed tightened around her wrists and ankles. She tried to get a foot into the ground to push herself up, but her shoes had no purchase, and she finally stilled, out of energy. She closed her eyes, feeling tired, her limbs heavy.

"Zuko!!" She choked, the water stifling her voice. She tried to water bend, but since breathing was the basis of all bending, the water splashed a little, but didn't recede.

"Katara!!" Zuko splashed into the water, feeling with his hands through the kelp, the water was too murky to see to the bottom. Suddenly his fingers twined through hair, and he dove, his fingers searching.

He hauled her up, the seaweed tearing, it had almost completely wrapped her up like a mummy. He dashed to the shore and placed her on the mud.

"Katara!!" He leaned in and listened, she wasn't breathing.

"Fuck! Katara!! Wake up!!" He smacked her cheek several times, then chewed his lip and pinched her nose, covering her mouth with his and exhaling. He checked her pulse, her heart was beating, he bent down and gave her another breath, counting to three, trying to remember the technique. His mother had insisted that he learn it once they started spending summers at the beach, and he silently thanked her overprotective nature.

"Come on Katara! Who ever heard of a water bender who drowned!!" another breath, another count, then another breath.

Katara's eyes clicked open and she coughed, rolling over and spitting out a lungful of water. Then lay back, chest heaving, still strewn with the strange underwater vines.

"Katara!! What the hell!!" Zuko began stripping the plant off her, "You scared me to death!! I thought you drowned!! I had to give you mouth to mouth!! How does a water bender drown?!"

"Same way a fire bender gets hit by lightening?" Katara ventured a small smile.

Zuko crossed his arms, refusing to dignify that with an answer.

"These plants, they held me down." She picked one up and studied it.

"No wonder!" Zuko peered at it closely, "those are dusk blooming choke vines!! I can't believe you chose to sit down on a dusk blooming choke vine plant!!"

"A what?"

"I would think the name is self explanatory!" Zuko grabbed one of the weeds and incinerated it, "I thought you were a water bender, shouldn't you know these things?"

"I grew up in the south pole, there weren't too many plants!!"

"Well, these things will wrap around you in a matter of minutes and drag you to the bottom where it has a flytrap maw, so try not to get too close!!"

"I'll be more careful." Katara promised, "The river talked to me. It said my name, and it told me to follow the vines."

"Katara, I called your name, not the river."

"It showed me this," she swept her hands, and a whirlpool appeared, uncovering the boat weighed down with rocks, and a good deal of plant life and fish that twitched pitifully on the muck and mire. Another breath and shifting of weight and the water crashed back, and surged wildly, and moments later, the boat bobbed to the surface. Katara squelched out into the water, bending a path as she went, taking great pleasure in stomping on the vines, and dragged the boat to shore. It was big enough for the two of them, but not their mounts.

"We'll have to leave them here, can they find their way back all right?" Katara began unsaddling hers.

Zuko nodded, "They'll be fine." He tossed his saddlebags into the boat, "I don't see any oars or paddles.

Katara climbed in, dragging half the mud of the swamp with her between her boots and the long hem of her top. As if the bloodstains where not bad enough, her travel cloths were officially totaled. Zuko scrambled in after her, using his foot to push off the shore.

"It runs on water bending," she informed him, "You sit by the rudder and steer, I'll do the bending."

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**Whoo!! That was fun!! Ok, reviewer questions . . .**

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**Ok, Mai . . . Mai Mai Mai, I'm really trying guys, honest!! I know she is sucking totally and out of character . . . . Someone, please give me her personality traits!! I know she is selfish, willing to endanger family, I know she is bored, I know she bottles up her emotions, I know she is loyal until someone betrays her and then switches sides.**

**Ugh . . . :headdesk: **

**I will be the first to admit I suck at writing her, but I can't figure out how to make crucial plot points happen with her personality so disconnected! So, give me a willing suspension of disbelief on this, or someone who rocks at writing her drop me a line.**

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**Zuko can fire bend, he hasn't lost the ability, he just lost a lot of strength everywhere and flexibility in his chest muscles (Which you need to do basic movements), so the actual fancy martial art he couldn't do.**

**Katara has been healing him and working with his chest muscles, its been improving him, and he has started drilling again in his forms, you already saw him doing the Dancing Dragon. Loosening the muscles though is hard work and slow going, lots of effort over a looong period of time. It will be a while yet before his chest can qualify as 'good as new'.**

**I mean, the damage was so bad, she described him as 'cooked', it will take a while to bounce back.**

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**I know it seemed random, I hate original characters, I won't use one unless I have to. All you really needed to know is that Ty Lee is taken, and very happy where she is. **

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**I don't really recall anywhere where Katara 'takes it' from any man. I try to write very strong female characters, ones that can get themselves out of jams as much as they can get themselves into them, coughStephanieMeyercough, Katara either ignores, fights back, or waits. She is like Chuck Norris. **

**Okay, I am going to get crucified for that Twilight thing.**

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**Adridere, I will NEVER accuse you of plagiarism, You need to write that Lesbian Kyoshi bit, and I will be there with pom poms and a cheer routine to review it. I need this!**

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**I noted that I had thought that the Swamp was to the north of Omashu and the cave of two lovers was to the south, Since they are actually vice versa, I had to switch a few things so they would have DONE something to get broken up with by the time they reached Omashu. Unfortunately, that bumped the sexing a few chapters. Sorry loyal readers. Basically, the crystals are cursed, they light up when someone feels love. Not because of the absence of light. **

**:flashes artistic license: Its okay, I'm an author.**

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**Yes, this fic may contain but is not limited to: piercing, tattoos, drugs, alcohol, sex, paganism, fetishes, torture . . . . just trust me, I promise, I will take you for a ride. I promise the sexin is soon, everyone seems so eager, I hope that the allure of M content isnt what keeps bringing y'all back!  
**

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**So Avatar the Movie's Aang Gang has been cast. I feel excitement mixed with dread. **

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**R&R, questions, comments, concerns. Sorry about the longer than normal delay, was visitin some friends in Boston.  
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	11. Chapter 11: The Moerae

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: PG-13 . . . or maybe M . . . is there a rating in between there? Like . . . PG-13 ½?

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Pairing:** Zutara, Taang

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 11: The Moerae**

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Katara let out a long breath and flopped down on the boat's seat. It was a simple move to propel the boat, but after hours of repeating it, her arms were worn out. She rested her head on the bow, and closed her eyes. The air was heavy and humid, and she had soaked through her cloths, and finally peeled them off, bending in her wrappings. Zuko kept his shirt on, even though he was drenched in sweat, complaining that it was the only thing that was stopping the bugs from draining him drop by drop.

"The sun is setting."

Katara looked around in the hazy half light, "How can you tell?"

"Well, I can feel the sun, remember? Also the dusk blooming choke vines, see, there's one, the blossoms are opening." He pointed, "There's one, and another up ahead," Zuko paused, "Wait, 'Tara, take us in closer to that one."

"No way!" Katara gave him a look like he was crazy, "They'll grab us and drown us!"

"They're too slow and too weak, and if somehow one does get a hold on you, slice it off with your dagger, it'll leave you alone."

"And I'm just supposed to take your word for it?"

"Katara, My uncle has always dabbled in horticulture, mostly to power his tea making hobby, and he used to talk about it for hours, I know what I am doing," Zuko pulled on the rudder, "Just trust me."

Katara stood up again and steered the boat into the tree, then halting the craft. Zuko reached out and unwrapped the vine and studied it. Katara peered over his shoulder, though she hadn't the faintest idea what she was looking at, it all looked like leaves to her.

"It's been pruned," Zuko indicated a point on the vine that didn't look particularly different than the rest of the vine, "This was planted here deliberately and tended to. Ouch!!" He smacked a bug, "They're not biting you? Not at all!?"

Katara shook her head, even though the plants were homicidal, their blossoms were very pretty, though they didn't really look like a conventional flower. They were orange and gold and stuck up at an angle, all the flowers pointed in one direction.

She looked downriver, and there was another plant, the orange petals standing out against the grey green of its surroundings. All the flowers on that one pointed the same way as the first.

"Follow the vines."

"What?" Zuko was rewrapping the tendril around the tree he had peeled it from.

"Nothing," Katara stood up, "I'm getting a second wind, let's keep going." She started propelling the boat again, this time following the forks that the flowers indicated, weaving through the tall grass and stubby, miserable looking trees. When they ran out of light, Zuko juggled the rudder and a fire ball, lighting the water, and unfortunately attracting every bug in the marsh to him.

"You smell smoke?" he asked.

"You're fire bending." Katara teased.

"I mean, wood smoke, fire bending smoke smells different."

Katara sniffed, then shrugged, "Smoke is smoke, you can smell the difference?"

"I think that the settlement is nearby."

Just then a huge swamp monster with a wooden mask rose out of the water down river of them. Zuko leapt up, getting into stance.

"What in the spirit realm is that Katara?!"

"Zuko, sit down and don't throw anything at him!" She ordered quickly, feeling the boat violently rock as the fire lord stood up. The monster charged, but Katara bent it's vines back, "Hue!! It's me Katara!! The Avatar's companion!! We're friends of the swamp!!"

The monster stopped it's advance, and the slowly fell away, leaving a topless fat man clad in leather and leaves waist deep in the bog. His hair was a spiky gray and he had a trimmed beard.

"Well lookie here what the catgators dragged in!! Katara! You've grown up a lot!" he waded over, "Lemi take a good look at 'ya." He peered up, "Ya'll changed your hair, lookin' taller too, musta shot up four more inches! how longs it been anyway?"

"A year since I visited the swamp, and several months since the invasion. I'm sorry about getting you thrown in jail."

"Oh don't even mention it!" Hue smiled, "We all gladly did everything we could to help!! Them fire nation needed to be taught one fore they dragged the whole world to hell with 'em. 'oo's the boy? He wasn't with you when you visited, nor at the day of the Black Sun neither."

"He is Fi-"

"Lee, My name is Lee." Zuko shot in, giving Katara a look that made it clear he wanted to keep a low profile.

"Hue, can you show me the way to your settlement? I need to talk to some water benders."

"Oh! 'o course, Due and Tho will be pleased ta see you again! Y'all wanna learn more Swamp Tribe technique?" Hue hopped into their boat, and took over the bending, "I see ya practiced with bending the plants, I could show ya more. Left up here boy."

"Actually," Katara sat down, "I was hoping I could talk to your women water benders, I've been having some . . . issues, and I thought they might be able to explain."

Hue stared at her, his arms dropping back to his sides.

Katara remembered the traditions of her tribe, and then stammered, "I mean, you do have women water benders, right?"

"Oh, Aye, we got them, just, not too many people come a LOOKIN for 'em, strange lot they are, the Moerae they calls themselves. Theys a bit particular bout who they let join their ranks, but I doubt they would turn away the warrior princess of the Southern Water Tribe!"

"I just have some questions, I'm not looking to join." Katara shifted uncomfortably, "And I'm not a princess."

"Swamp potato, swamp potato, No need to fret over titles, I'll take y'all back to the village and see if one of em'll take ya over to the temple."

"Thank you." Katara smiled.

Zuko swore and swatted another bug.

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"Why couldn't we have taken a boat?!" Toph complained, gripping the edge of the table. The airship was having technical difficulties and was flying slowly, and liable to lurch unexpectedly in the air, dropping a few feet every couple of seconds when the pressure changed.

Therefore every couple of seconds, Toph prepared to die.

It was very emotionally draining.

"Don't worry, its just a bit of turbulence, it should go away." Aang grinned, patting her shoulder. He was very happy to be up in the air again, but he felt bad for his teacher, her knuckles were white, and he could tell her nerves were wearing thin.

"Turbulence?!" Toph capsized the table, knocking their drinks over the railing as the ship dropped several feet, groaning ominously. She scrambled over to one of the support beams and hugged it, hands shaking.

"Toph!!" Aang walked over, "You have to relax!!" he plopped down in front of her.

"Easy for you to say!! You're an air bender!! You can just glide away if we crash"

"I promise, I will catch you if the airship crashes, I swear I wont let you fall."

Toph relaxed her grip a little, some of the panic draining from her features, "Cross your heart?!"

"Yes, yes." Aang promised.

Toph sighed, then squealed as the airship lurched again and pressed her cheek into the support beam.

"Toph you need to relax!" Aang touched her knee, "You're going to give yourself a heart attack!"

"No! This AIRSHIP is going to give me a heart attack!!" The metal of the support beam twisted under her fingers as she involuntarily bent it.

Aang rubbed her shin, "Toph!! Stop it! You're going to break the ship!"

Toph mumbled something under her breath, clutching the metal shaft.

Aang pulled one of her feet into his lap, he remembered she loved to clean her toes, and that usually relaxed her. He pressed his thumbs into the ball of her foot and made slow circles.

"Just try to think about something else Toph, think about how much fun it was to play in the sand on Ember Island."

Toph relaxed her grip on the beam, nobody had ever touched her feet before, it was very nice. Very very VERY nice. Almost too nice.

"Aang, what are you doing?" She used his real name to show she was serious.

"Giving you a foot rub," Aang paused, "You don't like getting your feet touched?"

"I never said that," Nobody had really touched her feet at all before, she didn't know whether she liked it or not.

"Okay, then" Aang went back to work, "So, remember how Sokka made that sand statue of Suki?"

"Yea, sand statue . . ."

Slowly, the lurching of the airship became less and less important, and the delicious sensations Aang was creating on the soles of her feet were taking up more and more attention. In fact, Toph didn't notice when the lurching contraption stopped jerking altogether until Aang stopped and shifted his weight.

"I think were out of the low pressure pocket," he cracked his knuckles, "You going to be okay now?"

"What?" Toph snapped to attention.

"I said, are you going to be okay now?" Aang repeated, but didn't halt his massage.

"Oh . . . yea, I'm good, I just . . . hate flying." Toph grumbled, pressing her cheek against the support beam.

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"Katara, what's this?"

"It's a steamed swamp fly, just eat it." Katara pulled one of it's legs and popped it in her mouth for emphasis, crunching on the shell and then giving him an 'I dare you' grin.

Zuko looked a little green.

"It's a BUG!" he complained.

"So?"

"So, it's a BUG!"

"You're going to offend the Tribe if you refuse their food! Just eat it already! Stop being a spoiled brat." she elbowed him and then went back to peeling the exoskeleton off of her's.

"I know more about etiquette than you do!!" Zuko glared and then yanked off another leg and shoved it in his mouth, it didn't taste horrible, but the thought that he was eating a huge fly made his stomach turn over.

"This has got to be one of the worst things I have put in my mouth in my entire life, and I am doing it for you." Zuko broke off another leg, "You owe me big time." He then muttered something about having vowed never to eat another bug again after he and Iroh reached Ba Sing Se.

Hue was ambling back, and with him there was a woman, she was tall and lanky with snake tattoos on her arms, a crescent moon tattoo on her forehead, and graying black hair with curious swamp flowers braided into it. Like most people in the area, her clothing was a combination of leaves and leather, though her 'leather' looked like a crocodile fox's skin, it had the scaly texture. She had several necklaces of beads strewn around her neck, and her top was more made for support than for modesty.

Katara was never a particularly modest girl, being raised in a village of women and children for several years had taken away those instincts. There was nobody to be modest from. But the dress of the woman made even her cringe a bit. Then she felt jealous, even her under bindings were too hot in the sticky swamp, even though the leather looked hotter, it covered less, and the woven fabric seemed to absorb the moisture in the air, and never seemed to be completely dry, it was starting to irritate her skin.

Strangely enough, she looked Fire Nation, with their slanted eyes, light skin, and black hair. Not the person you would expect to be the high priestess of a cult to a water god.

"'Ere are the two, the gal is Master Water Bender Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, and the boy is her bodyguard Lee."

Zuko and Katara stood and bowed to the woman. Zuko squashed a bug.

"Katara, this 'ere is the High Priestess Fae o' the Moerae. She was very excited to hear that you were visiting."

The woman hugged Katara in greeting, kissing her on both cheeks, then settled herself beside the campfire.

"I have heard the stories, I was hoping I would meet you before I retire, Hue told me y'all had questions, I 'ave a few for ya myself." The priestess settled herself against the rotting log. Katara could have sworn she had seen those snake tattoos somewhere before.

Katara glanced over at Hue and Zuko, "Maybe we could talk in private?"

Hue got the message, "Oi, Lee, Let me show you the Grubworm bloom, you rub it on your skin and the bugs don' bother ya no more." He started off, motioning for the Fire Lord to follow.

"Well, Sister?"

Katara swallowed and then plunged right in, "Why do I lose my bending on the new moon? Why does my bending spike?"

"Well now, lil sister, all life once crawled out o' tha muddy bottom o this very swamp, from the smallest 'squito to the most fearsome dragon. The ocean water is the cradle o' all life 's we know it, just as you yerself have the capacity to create life, the ocean is the womb o the world, and when the moon tugs on it, you will feel it. We all do." The priestess patted her own stomach with a smile, "In this way, the moon both blesses and curses us, we share her cycle, and when she faces away, we lose her support, our aura loses it's density, and our chi gets blocked up, luckily, it usually only lasts 'bout a day. Depends on the woman."

"It happens to everyone?"

The priestess nodded, "The stronger the bender, the stronger 'n longer the effect. The moon and ocean like 'ta keep things in balance, I've only met one female water bender from the northern tribe, and she was so untrained 'n everythin but healing, her bending was only weakened. She told me tha' this very power loop 's the reason that women were barred from learning water bending hundreds of years ago. Started that they were unreliable warriors, then it 'ecame frowned upon for women to join the army, then forbidden, then slowly, they were no longer taught no fighting, then finally banned from the technique all teget'er. We all get three power spikes too for every cycle, it's the rule of three, though we all will get em at different times, only our losses synchronize."

Katara stared into the fire, thinking about what she had just been told, "What about mind reading with water bending, is it possible? Not just seeing what you're healing?"

Fae looked intrigued, "Yer a healer and a reader as well as a warrior?"

Katara nodded.

"Yes, it is technically possible, Water is the element of life, it is very diverse in its uses. I 'sume you want to extract something from a person who is resisting? It is impractical, like y'all tryin to find a needle in a haystack, one thought among millions and millions."

"So you can teach me?!" Katara looked excited. Finally! Finally they were getting somewhere!

Fae nodded, "No' me, but, one o' my sisters is a reader, she can teach ya, but I want a favor in return."

Katara looked dubious "What kind of favor?"

"I want you to teach my pupils the Water Tribe bending style. Y'all taught the Avatar, yer the best of the best. 'f I were ten years younger, I'dve sought out a Water Tribe master to move here when the war ended. I'll even teach you some swamp techniques while you're here."

"How long will this take?" Katara didn't think that Zuko would want to hang around the swamp for long.

"No need ta extend yer visit, just teach however long it takes for y'all to master the mind bending that you wanna learn." Fae smiled, "Do we have a deal?"

"I'll have to ask Lee, he is in a hurry."

"I thought he was your bodyguard? Ya need his approval?" Fae asked, amused, and Katara had the feeling that the woman knew exactly who 'Lee' was.

"He is, its just he is also-"

"Yer lover?"

"No . . ." Katara looked glum, "He isn't interested."

"Things are not always as they appear, sister, and the swamp has a way of revealing to us our hidden desires, showing us what is, and what could be. The moon will be full the day after tomorrow, and I feel the threads of fate unraveling, things are in motion, things are goin to change."

"How do you know?" Katara asked.

Fae shrugged, "The river whispers it to me, if y'all listen closely, y'all'll be surprised what you can hear."

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"Hey! Due, Tho!!" Hue padded across the dirt, "Y'all got any grubworm blooms? This here city boy is getting eaten alive."

Due, the tall skinny one looked at Tho, "I dunno, we gots some Tho?"

"Yea," the shorter fatter one replied, heading for his leafy tent, "'ts a lil bit old, but I'll brin' it out."

Something hissed at Zuko's feet, and he looked down to see an enormous catgator sniffing at him. He jumped away.

"Oi!" Due called, "Bad Slim! You don't go snapping at our guests, ya hear?"

"You think there is anything in this swamp big enough to hurt an Emu Horse?"

"Why, Lee, Y'all take them in?"

"Yea, we left them though, the mud got too deep."

"Oi Due," Hue punched the other man softly in the arm, "Lee here went and forgot his emu horses, left them in the North swamp, ocean side, think you could go track em down?"

Due grinned, "If thur's a critter born that I can't track, he ain't not been born yet so I can track him down. I'll take the barge, should be able to hold a couple critters that big."

Tho came out of his shack just then, grinding something in a mortar and pestle, "Oi city boy, yer cloths are as good as dead, n' they'll just rub the grub off anyways, why doncha borrow some cloths from us, I just killed me a great big mammoth swamp python the o'er day, got me a lot o unused snakeskin."

Zuko looked at the vestiges of his muddy shirt, "Why not? When in Si Wong."

"We ain't in Si Wong, pretty boy, we's in the swamp! How can y'all not remember where you is? Don't even look like no Si Wong, too much water!"

Zuko rolled his eyes, but followed Tho back into his hut without complaint.

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Katara was still talking to Fae when Zuko ambled back to the camp. Both women took one look at him and choked on their words.

"Y'all have one hell of a body, yer covered with scars! You 'rastle a porcupine armadillo?!" Fae exclaimed, tilting her head for a better look.

"What happened to your cloths?!" Katara giggled, then scrambled to her feet for a closer look, "You look like . . . a vegetable."

"Ha Ha, very funny." Zuko flopped down, "It's actually a lot more comfortable in this humidity." His tone was aloof.

"Anyways, when we get to the Moon Temple, you'll be expected to wear the uniform of the priestesses."

Katara stopped giggling, "Uniform?"

"Yes."

"As in . . . the same thing as you're wearing right now."

"Yes."

It was Zuko's turn to snicker.

After a soft chuckle at Katara's expense, he turned to Fae, "I have seen those tattoos before, I don't remember where though, what does it mean?"

"They mark us as Priestesses of the Swamp Spirit, he comes in the form of a giant snake with anywhere from one to nine heads." She explained, "Only women may join the sect, and bear his markings. Sometimes our daughters find that the swamp is not the place for them and they leave. You must have met one in your travels."

"Then how do Due and Hue and Tho know water bending?" Katara asked curiously.

"Oh, we isn't the Northern Ice Tribe, the temple will teach any water bender willin to learn, 'gardless o their anatomy, but only women can join the Moerae and be priestesses o the moon. Though, even tha' we'll teach all who wanna learn, Sometimes I wish that ol' Hue had been born a woman, 'e woulda made a fine priestess."

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They all sat in silence as Fae guided the wide swamp barge. It fit both emu horses, who were now considerably muddier, their packs, and thy themselves with room to spare. Zuko had pulled his leaf hat over his face and appeared to be taking a nap, Katara was pawing through her saddlebags, not really looking for anything in particular. The heat was stifling.

Zuko looked pretty damn comfortable in his loincloth.

Among other things.

"How can anyone bend in this climate?" Katara fanned herself with one of her scrolls, wrenching her eyes away from the sexy, scantily clad, ex-prince.

"Y'all get used to it soon enough." the priestess told her, "Wake up yer boy, we're nearly there."

Katara made a face, but scooted over to where the Fire Lord lay pillowed against his mount.

"Hey, Lee, wake up." She poked him in the chest.

He swatted at her hand, but yawned and woke up from his siesta.

"Katara, I'll need yer help to lower the barge over the waterfall." The priestess gestured to the falls ahead, and Katara stood, trying to follow the older woman's movements, swamp style was distinctly different from the pole styles. True to the order and her tattoos, the woman's arms moved like snakes, and her torso, hips, stomach, and head moved isolated from each other.

She wouldn't stop moving her wrists in slow circles, and kept adding embellishments that turned the bending into a dance, rather than a martial art. Katara wondered just how combat centric swamp style was.

As the two women worked, Zuko looked over the falls at the temple. It was unnervingly similar the one the Sun Warriors had built, only instead of gold stone, the blocks were a slate grey and pearly white. He stood up, interested now, wondering where they had gotten the stones from, and how they did not sink into the mud..

"This place is ancient!" he shielded his eyes from the sun, deciding to share with Katara "It's the same design as the ones that Aang and I saw when we went to the Sun Warriors ruins."

"Really?" Katara looked over her shoulder at him.

"Yes, same architecture."

"That's because we are it's sister temple." Fae explained, "They all have their temple to the Sun Spirit and we have ours to the Moon Spirit."

"How did you know?" Zuko asked.

"Y'all wonder why I look Fire Nation?" She asked, "Sister temples, my mam was from the Swamp, father from the Sun Warriors, met the last time the two temples came together, lil over eighty years ago. We were s'posed ta have a ceremony during the eclipse, celebrating the joining o the moon and sun spirits, but we decided it was just too dangerous, we worked the craft all night instead, n' the moon granted her protection to the men from our shores that were fightin in the Sun Spirit's lands."

"That's amazing, I didn't know that your cults could have any sort of interaction, you're so far away from each other, and you actually intermarry?" Zuko seemed to be making a mental note, he was always interested in things that concerned his people.

"I wonldn' go as far as sayin 'intermarry', I ne'er knew my pa, and I 'spect he never learned I was born, but our bloods are definitely mixed, if y'all get my meaning, Luckily I took after her, I wouldn'a been able to become a priestess o' the Moon had I been a Fire Bender, I beat the odds, usually its opposites."

"Opposites?" Katara asked as they set the raft down in the waterfall basin, she hadn't quite understood the priestess's last statement

"Well sure! Thought you of all people would know, when a fire bender and a water bender have kids, as far as bendin goes, the gals usually take after their papa, and the boyos usually take after their mam, y'all should remember that, I know a betrothal necklace when I see one." She winked at Katara, who blushed.

"I'm not betrothed, it was my mother's, I'm probably going to get arranged into a marriage for peace in a few months." Katara grumbled making a disgusted face, "Apparently my father has been asking around."

"Well, I bet 'e has his eyes on the Earth King and the Fire Lord," Fae said, a twinkle in her eyes, "They're the most eligible bachelor floatin round the pool right now."

Zuko muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'tell me about it'.

Katara's blush darkened, "It wont be the Earth King, I'm going to marry a powerful bender, a fortune teller told me that, plus he has a fiancé now, and I'd NEVER marry the Fire Lord!" she bit out, frustration with him making her words more cutting then she meant, "I would rather marry a vulture toad! I would rather marry nobody and become a priestess of the swamp!"

"Really?" Fae looked enthused.

"Really?" Zuko looked hurt.

"Oh, don' be silly, our vows don' include a vow o' chastity, or even cloistering, y'all could do both, marry 'n moerae. Anyways, y'all say that now, but once the moon rises, yer goin'ta be singin a different tune."

Katara turned her backs to them, sitting on the edge of the raft, not quite brave enough to dangle her feet into the murky obscure water. She watched as the temple drew near, and she saw people scurrying back and forth. The ground seemed one of the few parts of the swamp that qualified as 'dry land' most of it was hard packed and covered with moss. There were both men and women carrying about their business, though only the women bore the tattoos of the snakes, and she only spotted one with a moon tattoo.

As Fae guided the craft in, two swamp men waded into the water and steadied it.

"Alright y'all, hop off," Fae talked to a third swamp man, "Please take their things to an empty cell, and you boys take care of the Emu Horses, they need a good brushing, they look like enormous mud sparrows."

"Yes, High Priestess."

Katara looked over to where two girls were working, one was grinding bugs on a stone and dumping the dust into a bowel the other was stirring, it made a thick red paste. She saw others laughing and weaving dry stalks together to make mats, and others burning bunches of herbs so that they smoked, and walking around the area, muttering something that Katara could not hear.

"Ma'am?" One of the men tapped her shoulder, "I can show you to your room now."

The cell was small, and it reminded Katara of the Kyoshi dorms she had seen. Her room consisted of a cot, a chair, a trunk, and a table. She also had a window that overlooked the waterfall they had descended earlier. She poked at the wall, it was a strange, baked like clay, a few inches thick, but silver like the rest of the buildings. She also had three doorways, one led to Zuko's cell, right next to her's, one to the empty room on the opposite side, and one out into the complex's hallway. The doors were made of woven mats of grass that one needed to lift to walk around.

There was a knock on her main door, or more likely, the wall right next to it, and she pulled the mat back, there was a girl standing there, looking about Katara's age. She too wore the uniform and tattoos, though her's were green, and her hair was cropped short, perhaps to beat the heat. She was juggling a handful of leaves and leather, a jug of water, a bowl of paste, and a bag of something was slung over her shoulder.

"'igh Preistess told me ta get ya'll washed up 'n dressed nice, y'all follow me t' tha riverbed?" She asked, her accent somehow thicker than most of the others.

The Riverbed happened to be about a hundred yards from the sleeping complex, it was fed by a series of small waterfalls that left the water surprisingly clear and algie free, at least by swamp standards. Several of the pupils were splashing around naked in the water, and others were standing on the shore braiding flowers and beads into hair. Others were practicing bending, knee deep in the water, passing the water back and forth, it made Katara miss Aang.

The girl dropped her things, "Name's Yeo. 'n 'm a third year 'prentice."

"Katara." Katara replied, and the girl gave her the same hug and cheek kisses that Fae had. She assumed it must be the standard feminine greeting in the area.

Yeo turned out to be surprisingly good at getting swamp slime out of a girl's hair, even though she had almost none of her own. She was helping Katara lace up her leather bandeau bra when there were cries from the river, and most everyone including Yeo dropped what they were doing and took off, Katara tied the laces, straightened her loincloth, and followed.

Nearly everyone in the temple was crowded around the main shore of the lake, and then Katara saw why, there was a mammoth swamp python with five heads. Its length was indeterminable, though Katara could tell if there were two of her hugging their arms around it's body, their fingers would not touch. Its body was covered with white scales that shone iridescently in the light, reflecting every color of the rainbow.

_The Swamp Spirit_ Katara's heart skipped, and she felt a shudder run through her, that thing could easily swallow a human whole. Surprisingly, the creature put it's heads down among the priestesses, and allowed the scales of it's noses to be rubbed. None of the men touched the incarnation.

"Come on Katara, it's good luck, touching the swamp god will grant you clarity of vision and peace of mind in the moon phases to come." Yeo grabbed her wrist and placed it against the cheek of the nearest head. Katara wanted to yank her hand away, feeling like it was sacrilegious to touch a spirit, even if it was only it's physical form.

She didn't feel any different, and the gods certainly did not strike her dead on the spot, so she pet the beast, it was wet, but not slimy like she had expected.

_Welcome Katara, _It was the same voice she had heard earlier, the one that had told her to follow the vines, but somehow louder, or closer sounding, _May the currents of destiny carry you far. Travel lightly._

Katara guessed it was some sort of swamp blessing, and she pulled her hand away, muttering a polite 'thank you'. She was not particularly keen on snakes.

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Zuko sat in the water of what the men had told him was the 'riverbed' where the water was the clearest and best for washing. He had found that there were several pools, each cascading down into the one below it like a long chain. The second to the bottom one was for the men's bathing, the women's was the one above, and he could hear them laughing and splashing. He wondered if Katara was up there naked, maybe splashing another naked girl . . . his fantasy cut off as the men started to scurry off, claiming that the swamp god had surfaced.

He dunked his head, intending to finish quickly and join them, but when he looked up, the baths were deserted, except for one person standing on the opposite shore, skulking in the shadows, watching him.

"Hello?" He waded over, getting a closer look. He was a little tentative about meeting new people in the swamp, enough men had introduced themselves, hugged him and kissed him in the last few hours to make even the most open man feel out of place.

The figure fled, and he gave chase. Wishing he had thought to grab his boots from his pile of cloths. Luckily the ground was soft, and soon gave way to mud. He stopped, casting around for footprints, but there were none. He turned to go back to the riverbed, and came face to face with himself.

But not himself.

The man looking back had no scars, his face and his chest were flawless, and his hair was as long as it had been years before. The doppelganger smiled warmly at him, Zuko did not return it. The vision of himself as an eighteen year old Prince of the Fire Nation shook him, he understood he was looking at the man he would be if he had never been banished, the Zuko that was forever lost in the threads of fate the moment he opened his mouth in the war meeting room.

The figure turned and looked off through the trees, and Zuko followed it's gaze. When he looked back the illusion was gone. He ran blindly through the mud, searching for it for what must have been an hour. Finally he gave up, falling onto his knees in the sludge and trying to think of what to do next. He could follow his tracks back to the settlement if he hurried.

He looked around, it felt like someone was watching him.

The swamp was empty.

Zuko stood up and turned around to follow his trail again, and again the Prince stood in his way. This time it was closer to his own appearance, the ghost had a scarred face, but smooth chest, and it smiled at him, and held out something, a small vial of water, it was full.

He tried to push the apparition, but his fingers passed right through.

"I must be going crazy!!" he looked at himself, "You're not real! You died a long time ago in the caves beneath Ba Sing Se!"

_I did._ The figure agreed.

"Why are you following me?" Zuko asked, backing away, then directing his voice at the whole swamp "I have nothing for you!! What do you want from me?!"

No answer.

"Well!! Answer me!!" Zuko yelled, twirling around, "I'm here!! You have my attention!! What do you want?"

_Katara . . . _

The apparition smiled a private, loving smile, and wrapped it's arms around it's chest, as though it's heart would burst. The word echoed throughout the stillness, getting louder and louder as they echoed, and the vines began to twitch on their own accord. The muddy ground beneath him began to tremble.

The apparition reached up and touched Zuko's scar. It was as though he was about to die, his life flashed before his eyes, only, it was not his past, but his future, one that never happened. Escaping with the avatar, never losing Katara's respect, never dating Mai, becoming closer and closer with the water bender, Azula never receiving word that he and Sokka visited the boiling rock, Katara straddling him and pulling off his shirt, defeating Azula, Katara healing him, kissing him, crying for him, ending the war, claming his throne, proposing to her . . .

Zuko did not wait around to see what would happen next, he bolted, running blindly back in the direction he had come.

It was well past midnight by the time he staggered into his room, he had gotten lost twice, he could have sworn the swamp was shifting on purpose. He peeled the leaves off of his arms and legs, then tried to wipe the mud off his feet. Thoroughly shaken in his vision of what could have been. He always knew that choosing Azula was the worst mistake of his life, but he had never thought of how it had forever changed his relationship with anyone besides Iroh, his father, and Aang. He remembered the apparition's contented smile, how in love it had been. He hadn't even thought of what else he could have potentially sacrificed to try to redeem his honor.

Truly, the worst mistake of his life.

He staggered over to his bed, only to find Katara was sitting in it, her head supported in the corner of the wall, she must have been waiting to scold him and passed out in the heat. Zuko weighed his options, he could wake her, take the scolding, and sleep in his bed, he could sleep on the floor and miss the scolding but have a sore back in the morning, or he could carefully carefully risk moving her to her room and then get into bed and hopefully miss the scolding and not have a sore back.

Katara's eyes clicked open.

_Aw, crap._ Zuko thought, bracing himself for a lecture.

"Where have you been?! I've been worried sick! I thought you got eaten by a mammoth swamp python or a swarm of salamander mantis'" She jumped up, and threw her arms around him, her momentum taking them both back into the wall. Zuko blushed, there was too much skin to skin contact.

"I got lost in the swamp." Zuko started to explain, "Then I saw . . . er . . . a . . ." he didn't really want to admit to having seen ghosts of himself, that sounded a little insane.

Katara released him enough so that she could look up at him, but didn't let him go. "I tried to find your trail but there were no footprints or anything!!"

"Well, there was a . . . thing." Zuko was getting turned on from being pinned to the wall by the pretty water bender, and it was making coming up with a plausible white lie difficult, "and it . . . umm."

"You saw someone, didn't you?" Katara rose onto her tiptoes so she could see his face better, "The swamp gave you a vision!"

"Yea," Zuko looked to the side, "It did."

Katara let him go, "I saw my mom," She touched her necklace, "It was an illusion though, what did you see?"

"Myself."

Katara gave him a look, raising one eyebrow, "Are you sure?"

Zuko shot it right back, "I think I know my own face."

"Okay okay," Katara sat down on his bed, leaning back onto her palms, "So what did it tell you? Did you learn anything?"

_That I am an idiot, nothing that I didn't know already._

"No."

Katara crossed her legs, showing more thigh than she was probably aware of. They stood in silence for a few minutes, Katara gazing out the window, and Zuko leaning against the wall where she had left him.

"I didn't mean what I said." Katara apologized, "I wouldn't rather marry a vulture toad than you."

Zuko crossed the small room and sat down next to her, "I figured you might have exaggerated a tiny bit, for dramatic effect."

"Just a tiny bit."

"I'm sorry about . . . you know, what happened after the scar thing." The fire bender stammered out

"It's alright, it was nothing," Katara fumbled for an excuse, she had not thought to prepare one, "It was just an 'I'm sorry, cheer up' kiss between friends."

"Well then . . ." The visions of his lost future still fresh in his mind, he leaned in and kissed her chastely, brushing his lips over her's exactly as she had done to him the night before, barely a peck, "I'm sorry." He pulled back.

Katara stared back, her mouth parting in surprise, then a blush heated her face, and she adopted an impatient scowl, "and what about that crazy tea you fed me?!"

Again, the Fire Lord leaned in and kissed her, more deeply this time but still innocently, his hand moving to caress her side, "I'm sorry about that too."

"And . . . and knocking me into the river?"

This time he said nothing, simply gave her another kiss, and definitely not an 'I'm sorry' one at that. Katara whined and wrapped her arms around the Master Fire Bender's neck, he definitely lived up to the title, the way he was making the heat inside her rise. His tongue darted between her lips, trying to entice her to part them, suggesting the strange and wonderful sensations that would follow, but she pulled away, resting her forehead to his. She kept her eyes closed, trying to maintain some ounce of focus.

"And, what about the ti-"

Zuko pressed her down into the cot, pinning her there with his own weight, his mouth pressing searingly against her's. He was making her feel feverish, as though he was pouring all his frustration, and aggression, and unrequited passions into the embrace, and she moaned, taking all his fervor and begging for more.

She arched herself up into him, her finger's finding his hair and fisting in it, and she opened her mouth to him. The strange temple, the Spirits, and the very swamp fell away as their tongues collided, there was nothing but the fire bender, the bed, and the humid air.

She whined in protest as he pulled away, but a moment later his finger's brushed her necklace up and his mouth clamped down on the sensitive skin of her neck. She hissed through her teeth as he began sucking, her legs wrapping around his waist reflexively. He bit down and she bucked, her finger's tightening their grip in his hair to what must have been a painful hold. The Fire Lord did not seem to notice, he had moved and was nuzzling her earlobe, his tongue running over her jaw. His already hot fingertips felt scorching as they slid across her stomach, and then up across her chest. His thumbs rubbed circles in the leather, teasing her pierced nipples through the top.

The room was hotter than it had been, though if it was because she was aroused, or Zuko had inadvertently bended it hotter, she couldn't guess. She was vaguely aware of her chest heaving in small pants of pleasure, and the man on top of her growling in his throat as his tongue traced around the shell of her ear.

There was a knock at his door.

Zuko collapsed on top of her, with a grunt of annoyance, than pulled himself up, running his fingers through his hair, trying to straighten it.

"Yes?" He pulled back the woven reed mat door.

"Oh! Lee!" it was one of the priestess, "So you got back!"

Katara had straightened her cloths, trying to mask what they had just been doing, though no amount of smoothing could hide her swollen lips and the hickey on her neck.

"Yes, he got back, I'm sorry, I should have notified someone, you can call off the search."

"That's good, everyone was going to knock off for the night anyways, the moon's gone behind the clouds, and there just isn't enough light to search." The girl gave Katara a knowing smile and turned to go, "I'll go tell the high priestess, you can just get back to whatever you were doing."

Zuko let the mat fall back into place and then leaned back against the wall.

Katara inadvertently took a step back, the fire in his eyes that she so often saw whilst fighting him over the Avatar had returned, and she had a brief glimpse of the old Zuko, the Zuko that chased, the Zuko that captured.

"I should . . . I should go back to my room." She stammered, "It's late, it's very late."

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Mai sat on her chair, watching her servants unpack her things. She toyed with one of the hilts of her daggers through the fabric of her sleeve. She didn't want to stay in the palace, but she knew she should. Endless hours of her mother and her governess's teachings told her that she should wait patently for her lord to return home, and then beg his forgiveness for her hasty words spoken in anger, and actions committed in passion. The lessons also told her that she should turn a blind eye to any indiscressions that he had taken during her absence as it was probably her own fault for driving him into the arms of another.

She was so unbelievably sick of her mother's lessons.

Giving the hilt another pull, she accidentally tore it through the fabric of her sleeve and it clattered to the floor. She stared at it.

Maybe the Fire Lord was not the person she should be begging for forgiveness for her hasty words and actions.

She bent to pick it up.

Maybe she had miscalculated.

She needed to set things right.

"Ready a palanquin." She spoke directing it at her servants, "I want to visit an old friend."

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Zuko crossed his arms still leaning against the wall, and Katara was reminded of the night she had threatened him in the Western Air Temple, months ago. Their posture was the same, only reversed.

"Bed? I thought water benders rose with the moon?"

"I thought fire benders slept during the night!" She shot back.

Zuko looked at her in amusement, then walked over to her, crossing the small room in a few steps and leaned into her and kissed her softly before pulling back the mats that separated their two rooms.

"Goodnight." He said politely, in an infuriating way that suggested that he knew something that she didn't.

"And what was THAT an apology for?" she asked slipping through the doorway and then turning and peering back at him.

Zuko sobered, and then looked down, "Azula."

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**Okay Chapter 11, mission complete.**

**Hope you enjoyed it!! **

**Okay, since I keep getting asked, I am a girl, just thought I would clear that up.**

**That is all.**

**EEK!! Dante Basco is so hot in Take The Lead! He can Tango ME any day!! Yeea, Take The Lead was on TV and I got distracted while I was writing . . . What can I say?! It's Dante Basco, Love triangles become him.**

**Man Adridere, you are like the Picasso to my Braque**, **no telling whose Ideas are whose anymore, do you want to be Braque or Picasso? I want to be Braque.**

**Yea, it was a painting major joke.**

**R&R, questions, comments, suggestions, scoldings, hissy fits, plot predictions. Sorry it's late, I usually update when I get 15 to 20 reviews, though have been known to bump that sooner when bribed.**


	12. Chapter 12: The Witching Hour

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: M -- Fair Warning

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Pairing:** Zutara

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 12: The Witching Hour **

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Katara woke with someone knocking on her door. She sighed, and ignored it, her body still feeling mostly asleep.

"Y'all need to get up now, Master Katara!" Someone called, probably Yeo or one of her classmates.

She heard Zuko stick his head out his door, "Just keep trying, she is a heavy sleeper, and it's hard to get her up before noon."

_Ugh, damn it Zuko!_

"I'm up!!" Katara shouted at them, swinging her legs over the side of the mattress, grabbing the sheet she had kicked off during the night, wrapping it around her body, and hauling her mat door open.

It was Yeo standing there, and Zuko was leaning out of his doorway, face half shaved. Yeo carried a jug of clean water and two swamp nut shells filled with some sort of dark purple liquid. The shod priestess pushed past her and set the cups down, then hefted up the jug, pouring it into the basin on Katara's table.

"Y'all're not dressed yet?" She seemed surprised, "hurry 'n wash off and git dressed."

Katara tossed her sheet back on the bed and bent the water to her face, washing the sleep from it. As she did, Yeo talked.

"The first horn 's fer everyone ta wake up, it sounds at eight, the next is that the mess hall is open, that sounds a' eight thirty, then again at nine for mornin' meditation, Ya getting' all this Lee?" she asked, raising her voice.

"Getting it." Zuko called, his voice muffled by the mats that separated their rooms, but still audible.

"Ok, then again at ten fer mornin' classes, that's when ya'll learn swamp style n' readin' with us, then at one the horn sounds for lunch. So go back to the mess hall, I'll show you where. At 2 the bell rings for afternoon classes, those are canceled today on account o' the full moon, but you would be teaching the kids Pole Style. Actually," Yeo stepped forward and began lacing her top for her, so Katara began braiding her hair, "We all 'ave leave to skip our normal classes 'n learn pole style from you," she shook her head dismissively, "Y'all'll see. Five to six is afternoon chores, but ye're guests, so y'all don't have chores, then dinner, 'n then yer time is yer own."

"So what should I do during these morning classes?" Zuko called from his room.

"I don't know, whatever Katara tells you to do." Yeo shrugged, "What should he do? He is yer man."

"I don't know, go make friends and have fun." Katara twisted a strand into place, then began fastening the leaves into place on her arms, "Challenge someone to a fight, what do boys do in their spare time?"

"Y'all should come watch the lesson Lee, there are always a bunch'a spectators." Yeo picked up one of the cups, and shoved it into Katara's hand, "Drink this," Yeo picked up her own which was half empty and took another long gulp.

"What's in it?" Katara sniffed it, then took a tentative sip, it tasted like berries and leaves, very bitter, and very thick, it was almost too thick to drink, she wished she had a spoon. Her body however seemed to bolt upright, and even though it was not moonrise. She was surprised that there was a liquid that could trigger a power surge to come early, all her muscles tensed, and she suddenly became acutely aware of all the moisture in the area's surrounding her.

"You don' recognize it? It's made of a mix of Lonaberries, Maiden's Secret, and Swamp Python venom, it's not concentrated though like the stuff we export." Yeo was straightening Katara's sheets, "'t'll keep ya from bein fertile, we all gotta down it during our surges, cult rule, well, cult precaution. Drink it all now, and I'll be givin ya more at the right time so y'all can be sure it kicks in."

"This place actually exports something?" A horn blasted, Katara was amazed she had slept through the first one, it was so loud.

"That's the eight thirty horn, time for breakfast." Yeo grabbed her arm and pulled her out into the hallway. Zuko was waiting there for them there, leaned against the wall, trying to tuck his bangs behind his ears.

"What is that you're drinking?" he asked, cringing his nose as though it smelled fowl.

"I'm not sure." Katara answered half truthfully.

"I think I've seen Azula drink it, I recognize the smell."

They both followed Yeo out of the dorms, and across the green. She was headed for a building on the opposite side of the pyramid. There were several women in the grass and moss, too old to be students, too young to be teachers, weaving together garlands of white flowers, and stringing them up on the trees. Lilly pads with flowers and kindling were being floated out onto the lake, and sticks were being set up for a big bonfire in the center.

"What's going on? Why all the decorations?" Zuko asked, peering at one of the men who was stringing fabric into the branches of a tree.

"The Moon Spirit had been saddened lately, we're trying to make our celebrations honoring her bigger and more beautiful to remind her that we still love her and are her loyal servants."

Katara thought of how Sokka and Suki had started sharing a bedroll and wondered. She shook her head, the Moon Spirit probably had better things to do than pine away for her sort of exboyfriend.

"That's . . . very nice of you." Zuko scratched his head, "Can she see them from all the way up there?"

"Oh, she'll see them." Yeo pushed open a door and ushered them into a room where there were several low tables and cushions. The tables were already full of women and men of all ages gobbling up fruits and bugs.

The three of them crossed the room, and picked up bowls. Zuko grumbled something about more bugs.

…

…

…

…

…

"I'm sorry Avatar Aang, I'm not sure what's wrong with the ship." The First Mate looked sheepish, "We keep losing altitude, we think that there might be a tear in one of the seams that the low pressure pulled open even more. Unfortunately, it's too dangerous to get up there, if the turbulence starts again any man up there could be thrown from the balloon."

"Do you want me to take a look?" Aang reached for his glider staff.

"I don't think that there is anything to do, even if you do find a tear, you won't be able to stitch it back up without the necessary tools."

"So what's going to happen?! You're just going to let us crash?" Toph demanded, her fear making her angry.

"We are going to ease down into the harbor, the landing might be a bit rough though."

Aang put a hand on Toph's shoulder, "That's all right, We'll be fine."

"I never thought I would miss flying on Appa." Toph grumbled.

Aang picked up his staff, "I'll see what I can do to make the landing neater. Just hold onto something and I will be back."

Toph latched back onto her now twisted support beam. She couldn't feel what Aang was doing, air bending around the ship probably, but whatever he was doing was not particularly working. She felt the descent turn more and more into a freefall, her stomach tingled, not quite being able to keep up with the rest of her, and she clutched the support beam harder.

She could feel men running this way and that, throwing switches, shoveling coal, barking out orders.

_I wish Sokka was here._ Toph admitted to herself. If she was going to be stuck on an airship, she would rather it be with him.

Suddenly she felt a mind jumbling jot, a bounce, and then a crash, and the floor washed with sea water, up to her ankles. Aang landed on the iron ground a moment later, and she felt him pad over to her.

"It's fine now Toph, we're out of the air, and we'll be disembarking soon." He tapped his staff on the ground, retracting it's sails.

Toph let go of the support beam, trying to salvage what was left of her machismo.

"That's good, I was starting to get bored."

"Avatar Aang," Toph recognized the voice of the Capitan, "We have moored and the gang plank has been lowered, your little blind girl friend looks a bit green around the gills, you might want to get her onto some dry land."

"What the hell!!" Toph was not going to tolerate being treated like a delicate flower, "I am NOT looking green, whatever that looks like, I will NOT be talked about like I am not here!! I am Toph Bei Fong, Earth Bending Master, holder of the title belt of-"

Aang put his arm around her, "Come on Toph, we can yell at him, or we can get onto dry land, let's get over to the castle and see what we're working with."

Toph let herself be led away, but turned and pointed unnervingly accurately at the Capitan, "You're getting off easy!"

…

…

…

…

After meditation, Katara and Yeo padded into the dojo, the floor was made of sand sunken in about three inches of water. Five girls were there, blindfolded, apparently playing a game of tag, though the girl who was it was only allowed to use water bending to locate and tag the others, and the girls who were trying to avoid her could only use water bending to sense where she was. It reminded Katara of Toph.

One of the oldest women of the tribe tapped her on the arm and kissed her cheeks.

"Hey there, Katara 'o the Southern Water Tribe, y'all came a long way to see an old lady like myself."

"This here is Arca Vel, she's a Master Water Bending Clairvoyant. If anyone can teach ya the technique, she can." Yeo told Katara, then turned her head and waved as a girl called her name, "Y'all hold yer emu 'orses, I'll be right over! I'll come get you after."

"So," Katara followed the older woman as she ambled out of the dojo, "You can really read people's minds? How is that even possible?"

"Well, firstly, y'all should have a talent for the craft, something I can tell by lookin at ya y'all do not have, y'all are a good fighter and healer, but y'all ain't no monk." The woman found a mossy stump in a sunny patch and settled herself, Katara took her arm, helping the crone to sit.

"So, you're saying I can't learn it?" Katara was starting to get annoyed at deciphering the accents.

"Now now, I din't say that, secondly y'all should be in balance. Which, clearly, yer not." The woman pulled a small water skin out from under her arm, "And finally, y'all need to be willin to work real hard, like all 'o the other forms, this requires practice, but it is much more difficult than shifting y'all's weight the proper way. Requires emotional strength, 's well as spiritual."

Katara didn't say anything, she settled down cross legged on the moss in front of the priestess, and waited respectfully.

"Y'all know why mind reading with water bending is possible?"

Katara shook her head.

"Y'all know why you can pick of flashes 'o memories while yer healin'?"

Katara shook her head.

The crone frowned a bit, as though she was realizing just how inexperienced her new pupil was.

Katara flushed, she had always had to work very hard at water bending, but at least her first, stumbling attempts were not in front of a master.

"No need to feel ashamed, little sister," The woman hurriedly put in, brushing her short white hair back, "S'not y'all's fault that the lads up in the north pole dun know much, 'n teach even less. Now, Y'all can use water bending to see people's memories because everything that happens to them gets imprinted on their aura's. Yall just need to be able to find what you want, and that's no' easy. We see injuries best because there is also a physical link, bu' y'all can take the process further. You must be careful though, s'not a good idea to try durin your up times, s'pecially if yer new to the power, like y'all is. You can get a bit more 'vision' than y'all bargain for."

Katara nodded.

"Now, ah think we need a test dummy."

She turned her head, looking around, there were several men lounging in the sun, watching the lesson. They looked to be in their mid twenties, and were goofing off, the warm air making them frisky. One was doing a suggestive dance while the others jeered and laughed.

"Oi! Fen! Y'all come over here!" The priestess barked, and Katara frowned, the woman could have been politer, the men were obviously busy. Never the less, one of the clappers stood and walked over, and gave a polite bow.

"This here is Katara, she's learnin the memory reading technique, will y'all let her practice on you?"

The man nodded, "Yea, spose."

He sat down and Katara got onto her knees, bending the water Vel offered out and touched it to the man's temples. The woman reached out and adjusted her fingertips, and moved her hand position slightly.

"Now, ya'll try somethin' easy at first, clear your mind and focus on your breathin, okay, good, get a sense of how the stance feels, y'all can sense his blood pumpin through his veins. Y'all can sense his chi where it's a flowin through yer water. Good. Now, let's start with somthin easy. Fen here, he nearly drown a month ago, y'all find that memory, 'n tell me if it was day or night."

Katara sighed, taking a breath, and activated her water, concentrating the glowing liquid on the man's memories, using his aura as a bridge. It did not take long, the memory was still fresh in the man's mind.

_Fen was hunting, the sun was setting, and he had found the trail of a particularly large possum chicken. He was following it along the riverbank, when suddenly the bank gave way and he slipped on the mud and fell into the rushing current. It pressed him down-_

Katara lost the stream of thought, it had slipped away like sand through her fingertips.

"Reading is not like healing, Little Sister, but like fighting" Val reached out and readjusted Katara's hand and stance, "'f yer patient is resistin' ya, you need to be rough."

Again, Katara tried to find the memory, and again there was only blackness. The man was indeed fighting her, he was burying the memory, and putting up a mental barrier. She frowned and pushed harder, pressing her consciousness in on the man's.

_and he struggled against it, the water slamming him into a rock. He could taste his own blood. He heaved and managed to send a surge of water up under him, catapulting him to the surface._

_Gasping for air, he grabbed one of the mossy rocks, but couldn't get an adequate hold. He took a deep breath and let it out, freezing the water on the surface. The current still swept his feet and legs, but his torso stayed where it was, and he managed to haul himself up onto the ice and then stagger the rest of the way into shore. _

_He flopped down into the mud of the shore, panting in the starlight. _

"It wath nighttime, the thun had thet, but the moon had not rithen." Katara was pleased with herself, then raised her hand to her mouth, it felt like there was a deep gash in her tongue. She had also somehow worked up a sweat, all her skin was sticky with it.

"Y'all must be more careful about separatin' yerself from yer patient. Otherwize yer body's gunna react, thinkin it's hurt." The woman scolded, seizing Katara's chin and forcing her mouth open to inspect her, "It should be as though yer watchinn the happinins with a spyglass, y'all need to maintain distance."

"Thorry." Katara tried unsuccessfully to pull her face away.

"Being able to separate yerself from the patient is real difficult, ya see, it'll prolly take y'all years of practice to be able to. Ya'all find it very difficult to escape unscathed, y'all have neither the emotional balance or natural talent for it. Luckily, the pain is only in yer head, 'nfortunately, still hurts pretty bad."

…

…

…

…

"So you really saw the Sun Warriors?!" One of the boys asked, he was about the same age as Zuko.

Zuko nodded, he was helping them boil purple flowers and vegetables in a pot, and it was turning the water blue.

"Needs more mordent." another said, he looked about twenty five, "'s gon rub right off."

"No way, y'all'll give us all skin poisonin', 'nyways, it saddens the color." argued the one who was stirring.

Zuko bent the fire hotter.

"Is it true that them women shave off half their hair?" the first asked, "'n wear it in a ponytail?"

"For La's sake!! Stop badger molein' him, our man Lee is a man o' few words," another said, he was busy picking the petals off of the stems and dropping them in the pot.

The first ignored him, "What about that pretty lil' thing with ya, Katara, y'all an item or is she free fer persuin?"

"No she isnt!" Zuko clenched his fist, and the fire under the pot roared up, making all the water bending boys jump back.

"Alright alright, yall don't need to pitch a fit!" the stirrer yelled, shaking his ladle at Zuko, "We'll 'member that we ain't to touch her, now calm down, ya almost burnt me to a cinder. Rao, got the paste done?"

"What are we even making anyway?" Zuko asked, extinguishing the flames. He had assumed it was dinner, and had helped the boys by lighting the fire so they wouldn't have to struggle with the spark rocks.

"We're makin body paint silly, what did ya think we was makin?"

Zuko shrugged.

"We'll be needin' it for tonight," one of the older boys laughed, then broke into song, "I'll tell y'all a tale and a terrible tune, 'o a man 'n a moerae 'n a midsummer moon . . ."

Another few joined in, "that 'ed woven a wanton 'n wily spell, that dissolved the doorway 'n opened up hell!"

"Come on!" One of them grabbed Zuko's arm and hauled him up, "All 'o us should wash, we don' wanna present ourselves ta the Moon Spirit lookin like we 'ave been doin bendin practice all day." He pulled Zuko in the direction of the riverbed, and the others followed, one carrying the pot to wash, and one carrying the bowl of blue paint.

Zuko had never done much primping in his life, so felt thoroughly out of place as the men started helping him bathe.

"Y'all are so lucky, ya ain't got much hair on yer chest yet." One said, while he was shaving his.

"In the Fire Nation, it's considered 'unmanly' to have a hairless chest." Zuko told him flatly.

"In the Bog it's considered a luxury, 's too hot to grow a bunch o extra hair."

"Y'all want us to shave you? It's tradition!" One of them teased, and the rest chortled.

Zuko touched his face, "I shaved this morning."

"Guess again, Fire Boy."

Zuko paled.

…

…

…

…

Azula sat in her room, cross legged on the floor, combing her hair with her fingers. Her furniture was charred and broken on the floor, and the staff was leaving it destroyed to teach her a lesson about cremating her necessities. She didn't care, tables were tables, sheets were sheets, and she needed none of them.

"Screams from a water whore, your guts fall out on to the floor, Stuff your limbs into your chest, wait to see if they digest." She half sang, tugging out the knots, her bare toes laced together.

There was a knock on the door.

"Azula, you have a visitor. I'm opening your door now, so be careful." It was one of her nurses, the one who treated her like an infant.

Azula hated her.

Mai walked in and both her and Azula stood in silence as the princess drew circles in the soot. In fact, she did not stand up or acknowledge her visitor in any way. The aristocrat was the first to break and speak.

"You were right."

"I know."

"What?"

"I know."

"How?"

"I'm a people person."

"How did you know he would . . ."

"Mai, I have know my brother longer than I have known anyone. I know what he wants, sometimes even before he does. He wants someone who brings out the best in him, not the worst." Azula placed her hand over the side of her face, leaving a sooty handprint around her eye, and spoke in an imitation of Zuko, "The water bending peasant and I are opposites, we both have traits that the other admires, and we challenge each other to be more than what we were. It is honorable that we marry and bring lasting stability to our nations."

Mai narrowed her eyes, "I have something for you."

"Yes? Is it the crown of the Fire Lord." Azula crooned back, flexing and unflexing her toes.

Mai rummaged down her skirt and pulled out a lock pick, and readjusted some daggers. "I didn't bring it. We'll have to go to my family's house to get it, but I want something back."

Azula stood up, suddenly interested, "What is it you want?"

"You're such a people person, shouldn't you already know?"

Azula's eyes turned thoughtful, "You get me out of here and put me on the throne, and I will bring you Zuko in chains."

"Hmm . . ." Mai crinkled her nose, "I don't know . . ."

"The water bender in chains as well." Azula added.

"Not interested enough. What else?" Mai pressed the lock pick against her finger bending the fragile tip, threatening to snap it.

"Offer her the kingdom." Ursa recommended.

"I'll marry you and make you Fire Lady, as you were meant to be." Azula raised her bid.

Mai looked incredulous, "To do that you would have to legalize the betrothal of two women."

"That would be easy if I became Fire Lord. One silly little decree. Plus, I won't care who you sleep around with if you're my wife. I doubt you would get a better offer from Zuko."

"Deal." Mai knelt down and began working on the shackles around the princess's ankles. They clicked open after mere moments, and she began working on the princess's wrists.

"HEY!!" one of the nurses opened the door, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" She bolted across the room, intending to yank Mai off the inmate, but the goth flicked her wrist and three daggers shot through the air and pinned the woman to the wall.

"What the hell!! We disarmed you!! We searched you for weapons!!"

Azula stood up and walked over to the woman, grinning.

"We don't have time to play around Azula." Mai called from the door.

"I know, but this will only take a second." She ripped the woman's shirt open, exposing her torso, and then held out her hand, "give me a dagger."

…

…

…

…

"Water Tribe! When was the last time y'all shaved yer legs?!"

"Umm . . ." Katara squeezed out her hair, wondering which was better, Water Tribe or Sugar Queen, "Never?" She decided she preferred 'Tara, which Zuko had started calling her when she wasn't pissing him off.

"Leave 'er alone, her body is designed to survive harshest cold, not humidist heat." Yeo came to her rescue, Katara was starting to get the feeling that Yeo was the alpha female of the group. She was carrying a pot and a ladle and a bunch of shells, along with a bowl full of the strange red paint.

She passed Katara another shell full of the strange purple substance, and Katara drank it without question, it sharpened her skills even more, and she made a mental note to take some back with her to the Fire Nation. Feminine precaution or no, it would help her read Ozai.

"Sorry." The girl muttered, "I'll show y'all how."

When they had all finished bathing, Katara pulled on her bandeau bra and loincloth, and bent the excess water out of her hair. She then swept it all up and began working it into an elaborate bun, working mostly by feel. She had learned that if she kept her hair off her back and neck, she stayed a lot cooler in the summer swamp heat.

The girls had begun dunking their fingers into the paint and drawing designs on each other. Katara was reminded of the painted lady, and wondered if the myth might have started with the swamp tribe girls.

They were giggling girlishly as they worked, then one of them grabbed Katara around the waist and dragged her over.

"Don't forget about Water Tribe." She reminded them, and one of the painters came over and began striping designs onto Katara too.

Katara let go of her hair, "I can do that myself!" She pulled the girl's hands off her stomach, it made her uneasy because the touches were turning her on, the full moon was definitely rising soon. Her body knew it, and was anticipating it.

"Calm down, y'all wont jump anyone yet." The painter rolled her eyes, then drew the snake insignia on one of Katara's arms, "We all 'r feelin the same way, no need to be modest! What're they teachin ya in the North about bein' a woman? Tha only men can be attractive?"

"Y'all don't know? In the North, y'all are considered a tramp if ya have 'relations' with a man afore yer married!" The girl who had spoken was making handprints across a friend's back.

"Y'all 'r serious?! I don' even like goin through a moon cycle without a man in my bed." The painter looked at Katara, "No wonder yer jumpin under my fingers, how do y'all survive?!"

"Well . . ." Katara blushed, "It's not easy . . . but water tribe girls are arranged to marry young, so it's not TOO much of a problem."

"Wait, wait, wait, hold the emu horses, y'all'r tellin me up north they purposefully don't train gals so they don get strong enough to feel the moon in yer gut, y'all cannot have relations to any man other than yer husband, and yer husband is someone yer father picks out for ya at sixteen?!"

By then all the girls had stopped painting and were staring at her as though her nose had suddenly turned inside out.

"Well, They do teach us to heal, that's important. It's different in the South." Katara shifted uneasily from foot to foot, she didn't like hearing her home sister tribe's customs spoken of like that, but what they were saying was true, and she did not have any good counterargument.

"Jeez! Y'all need to wake up 'n smell the swamp lilies, Water Tribe, y'all shouldn't stand for that! Y'all're lucky ya don't have a father who is pushing a husband on ya."

Katara wondered if the girl had a vendetta against northern water tribe men, "Nobody is going to force me to do anything . . ." She knew her father couldnt force her to marry, but she knew he was thinking of what was best for the tribe, and what was best for the Tribe seemed to be marrage.

"Alright that's enough girls!" Yeo, whose face was now red from the bridge of her nose up, scolded the group, then held out the paint to Katara. She scooped some out, and began making the familiar designs of the painted lady onto her face, working by feel as the swamp had no mirrors.

"Come on y'all, hurry it up, the sun is settin, they's about to light the bonfire."

…

…

…

…

"And this is your bedroom, we selected one with a large balcony overlooking the bay. One of the nicest ones in the palace, used to be Azula's" The servant was telling Aang, "Your earth bending instructor's room is right around the corner, we took the liberty of unpacking for you, and the air bison is in the royal stables."

Toph laced her fingers behind her head, "A good view is pretty important Twinkle Toes." She grinned a cheshire grin.

"Would you like me to turn down your bed, sir?"

"No, I'm fine, please just show Toph to her room."

"Very well sir, you'll notice the cord on the wall, just tug on it to summon a servant."

Aang nodded and watched the two walk out, the servant shutting the door behind them. He walked out onto the balcony and leaned his elbows on the railing. The ocean made him think of Katara, and he put his head in his arms sadly. He missed her terribly.

He sighed, maybe he should have just let her be grabby. Toph seemed to think so.

The servants came and went, bringing dinner to his room, and briefing him of his schedule for the following day. Aang only half heard it, and picked at his plate of vegetables. It was lonely, how everyone had gone their separate ways.

The sun was setting, and he thought briefly about visiting Toph in her room, but she would probably just tell him to suck it up, that everyone had their own projects that they wanted to do.

Aang contented himself with exploring the room. The closets were full of cloths in his size (both his and not his), the bookshelf held several scrolls (mostly about Fire Nation myths), and the bathroom had an ornate bathtub that you could pump water directly into (if you didnt happen to be a water bender).

Wandering out of his room, he found his way to Zuko's study, which was just down the hallway. Walking over to the large desk, he settled himself in the chair and began picking up the sheets that lay scattered on top.

He read the petitions that lay on his friend's desk, and the court case he would have to pass judgment on. After a little snooping, he also read the treasury budget, and realized that the Fire Nation was deeply in debt. Ozai and his predecessors had sunk nearly the entire nation's capital into the war.

No wonder Zuko had been so stressed and busy, he had to build everything from the ground up. He thumbed through the papers, Zuko had sent two fine, breeding, Ostrich Horses and several Fire Nation horticultural and medicinal scrolls to a girl named Song, He had sent repairmen to a few Earth Kingdom Villages, and was personally funding the education of an Earth Kingdom boy named Lee at the Fire Academy for Boys, and sent money to his father Gansu to help rebuild their farm. He also sent his Uncle a shipful of rare Fire Nation plants every month for the teashop.

He found the manifest for outgoing airships, and the plans to set up a worldwide postal system powered by messenger hawks. Zuko had cut back funding on the armies, and had torn up the contract of all the men who wanted to return home. Everyone else would be reassigned at the end of their contract.

Sighing, he padded back to his own room and changed, the sun was setting anyways, and he thought he might as well get a good night's rest.

…

…

…

…

There were already several dozen people crowded around the bonfire in the twilight. The moon was just rising. Several priestesses were clad only in their loincloths and paint and beating huge drums. Others were playing strange reed instruments that had two sticks with holes and made a strange high pitched whining noise. Still more were playing finger symbols and swaying to the music in the most sensual dance that Katara had ever seen, clad in their leather tops and flowing grass skirts.

There were huge sticks of incense stuck in the mud, and everything she saw was through a haze of smoke. She couldn't identify the sweet aroma that hung heavy in the air, and she guessed it was another native swamp plant.

Squinting through the haze she saw a group of men who were talking, many had masks on that looked similar to the one that Hue's Swamp Monster sported. She made her way over, and they raised their masks and smiled at her, one even winked.

"Have any of you seen Lee?" She had to raise her voice to be heard over the drums.

"He's helpin light the torches." One pointed across the green to where two apprentices were jumping up and down as Zuko shot fire out onto the lake, lighting several floating piles of tinder. When they caught, they burnt green, and smelled the same as the incense. The girl's were clearly coming onto him, but Zuko seemed oblivious to their blatant lusting.

Katara marched over and grabbed his arm, dragging him away from the flirting apprentices. At least that's what Katara assumed they were since they lacked the snake tattoos that signified they were part of the Moerae.

"Where have you been?" She asked, surveying him, her jealousy making her voice sound more accusing than she had meant. He was covered with blue paint, and his hair had a few tiny braids in it, and in her highly sensitive state, he looked very VERY appealing.

"Probably the same place as you, getting ready for this bloody moon party." They walked back over to the bonfire, which was being fed, and watched the dancers. A circle was forming of people clapping and three of the dancing girls left and came back with huge swamp pythons around their shoulders. They began moving around the circle, and everyone crowded in to pet the black and white scaled creatures.

Katara mimicked the other girls, not really understanding the significance of the gesture, but assuming it had something to do with the swamp god. Zuko hesitated, but did the same, and she touched his arm reassuringly.

"I like your paint." He told her, sneaking another glance out of the corner of his eye.

"It's made out of bugs." The water bender informed him smugly.

Fae walked into the circle of dance, her body draped in silks, she began chanting in a strange tongue that Katara didn't recognize. The girls responded, chanting back. The smoke was making her already hyper focused body feel odd, but Katara found swaying to the music helped to ground her.

Someone pressed a skin into her hands and she drank from it. It was the same thing the priestesses had been passing around all day, and she passed it along to another girl.

"Umm," Someone had passed something to Zuko, and the fire bender was examining it cluelessly.

Katara realized it was similar to the peace pipes the Water tribe smoked from. She took it from him.

"It's a peace pipe Lee, put your thumb over this hole then put this part in your mouth and breathe in. Don't breath out right away though." She demonstrated, taking a hit, and then passing it back to the Fire Lord. Everything exploded with color, she could see everyone's aura, hear whispers of their thoughts, sense every drop of blood and sweat. It was like the hyperawareness that she had on the battlefield, only more so because it was being triggered by the moon and by the plants and by the chanting.

Not potential death.

Zuko had started coughing, "That stuff burns your throat, where did you learn how to work a pipe anyway?!"

Katara turned to him, and gasped, then coughed and exhaled her lungful of smoke, she was astonished, his aura was so clearly defined. She wondered if this was how Ty Lee saw everyone all the time. No wonder she could hit those pressure points so easily. She could SEE them. Katara reached out and poked one of them, one on Zuko's shoulder where she could see the energies swirling around.

"Ow! What was that for?"

Okay, maybe it wasn't THAT easy.

He rubbed his arm, and the red color around it turned muddy for a few moments, then reverted back to the brilliant crimson. As she looked she started to pick out different layers, and she remembered something Ty Lee said vaguely about an aura having seven layers . . . or was it eight.

"I can see your aura! Quick, change emotions!"

"I can't just change emotions!" he shot back, "Where did you learn to use a pipe? And how can you see my aura?" His aura was turning lead gray in his heart chakra, probably because he was frustrated.

"From Sokka of course." Katara rolled her eyes, "And I think it was whatever is burning in it,"

Zuko raised the pipe to his mouth again, and this time seemed to get the hang of it. He was a fire bender after all, breathing in mass amounts of smoke was in the job description. He hurriedly passed the pipe to the middle aged but still unnervingly attractive priestess next to him, exhaled, then squinted.

"The air around people looks a different texture." He said finally, dismissing it.

As they watched, more and more people were joining the dance, and after a few more sips of what was being passed around, swaying to the music was not enough. Katara felt the need to move.

"Let's dance Lee." She grabbed his arm and hauled on it. She remembered dancing with Aang in the Fire Nation, she had not wanted to, she had felt self conscious. She didn't now, she wanted to move, she wanted to be part of the chanting and the drumming and the swaying. It was so sensual, so different from the mock fighting dance moves in the cave.

"Umm, You go, I'll watch, I'm not a good dancer."

Katara remembered how dance was treated in the Fire Nation and grimaced, "In the Earth Kingdom, Its thought that a noble man who could fight with deadly ease and precision, and please a woman with skill and dexterity, could also dance with grace and beauty."

Zuko blushed, his aura turning a rose pink around his head, "Alright, I'll dance, I'll dance."

As she dragged him out onto the now trampled moss, she saw that most of the people were now dancing, and the moon was climbing higher in the sky. She began swaying, popping her hips back and forth to the beat of the drums that seemed to be getting louder, almost pulsing through her like a second heartbeat.

Tentatively and awkwardly, Zuko put his hands on her waist, and she leaned back into him, wrapping her arms up and back around his neck. The beat was definitely getting louder, and faster, as it just her or was the whole swamp vibrating beneath her feet?

The steps seemed to pulse outward from her womb, and her body moved in a dance that she never remembered learning, a dance to draw down the moon. She was starting to sweat in the heat and the exertion, the dance was becoming more and more heated, the chanting almost lost within the drums. Time bent within the firelight, she couldn't tell if she had danced for hours or mere seconds, there was only the heat from the fire, the sweat dripping down her stomach, and Zuko's hands on her waist. Katara could feel the trance take over her, that she was part of the group, part of the whole, part of the cult of the moon.

Six months earlier, Katara would have never believed that she would soon be undulating against Fire Lord Zuko. She wouldn't have believed how incredibly sexy it was making her feel. Katara leaned her head back against the fire bender pressed against her, and he took it as an invitation to lean forward and kiss her.

Twisting her torso around and leaning up for a better angle, she returned it, wondering briefly if her mouth tasted like the paint that had been smeared on it then dismissed it. She was kissing him whether he liked it or not.

It was almost midnight.

Embarrassed at the public display of affection, she broke the kiss off soon after and faced forward again . . . and was surprised to see most of the dancers were kissing, and the ones that weren't were undressing each other. Suddenly the bonfires began burning white, and she noticed Yue was standing, watching, her face sad. Several of the swamp women were holding out baskets of fruit and flowers to her, their lips were moving, but Katara couldn't hear what they were saying.

Katara blinked and stopped dancing, the part of her that saw physically could see Fae standing there, accepting the flowers, but her third eye, the one that was wide open and seeing auras could see Yue, and not the High Priestess. They were offering her things, fruit, gold, men, women, but Yue was shaking her head, sad and disinterested. The Spirit then turned her head and looked directly at her, and suddenly, the spirit's glowing white aura intensified and it became painfully bright to look at it.

Zuko hadn't seemed to notice, more preoccupied with kissing her on her neck, and Katara decided that Yue questions could wait. She grabbed one of his hands from where it was on her stomach and placed it on her breast, giving him permission to explore, which he gladly did, his fingers pinching her nipples through the leather, his fingers running teasingly along the hem. She could feel him hardening , and he pressed his hips against her, making sure that she was well aware of what he wanted; what she was doing to him.

They were some of the last people standing, and the last fully clothed, Katara's eyes roamed the throng of lovers, the beat still pounding through her; the ground still vibrating beneath her feet. Auras were changing and enveloping each other, and the chanting was being replaced with moaning.

"'Tara, come back to my room with me." Zuko pressed his lips to her ear, his voice husky, "This is not my religion." The way his mouth moved over her ear and his breath tickled her cheek made her whole body shiver, and for an instant she worried her knees would buckle out of arousal.

Katara turned in his arms and kissed him, she felt so divinely feminine, and she feared that the feeling would break if they stepped outside the burning ring of incense, that suddenly everything would be awkward and dishonorable again.

Suddenly, the Moon crested in the sky, and midnight reverberated through the swamp, not a sound, but more of a feeling. Her body felt like it had been stretched out like a lute string, and had been suddenly plucked. She heard a chorus of soft moans that probably meant that all the women there could feel the witching hour and the hunger and power that came with it course through them.

Katara deepened the kiss, grabbing the Fire Lord's hair and pulled him down with nearly lip bruising force, pressing her tongue into his mouth, demanding. He stiffened, broke the kiss and pulled back, taking a step towards the dorms, they were playing cat and mouse, he was using himself as bait. She grudgingly followed, letting the shy man lead her back to his bedroom. Almost feeling relieved that the spell had not broken between them.

_Maybe it isn't the drink or the herbs or the smoke or the moon . . . Maybe I want him sober or . . . _Katara never got to finish that thought as suddenly she found herself lifted and pinned to the wall, the Fire Lord was much more forward now that they were behind closed doors. Sort of.

She could hear the cries of someone . . . someones across the hall, the mat doors not offering much sound proof. She wrapped her legs around Zuko's waist, letting him hold her his hands looped around her thighs, her mouth finding his again. She moaned into it and then bit his lower lip, his passion heating his skin up several degrees hotter than normal. She returned his kiss with enthusiasm, and he rocked his hips, pressing her harder into the wall.

He shifted, and broke the kiss, stepping backwards and sitting down on the foot of his leafy mattress, overturning his chair in the process. Katara found herself in his lap, and she leaned back, her fingers struggling to unlace her top. Zuko leaned in and nipped the lobe of her ear, then sucked on it, teasing her with his fingers letting them slide up the outside of her thigh.

Damn it! Why were there so many laces?! Katara hauled the leather top open and flung it across the room with a grunt of satisfaction. Her breasts bounced free of their confines, and the Fire Lord wasted no time in lowering his mouth to them and flicking his tongue across the tip of one of her nipples. Her whole body quivered against him. The moon was high, the air was hot, and she was in no mood to be teased, her fingers tangled into his hair again and she pressed her torso forward in a wordless command.

Beneath the writhing water bender, Zuko was happy to oblige, he opened his mouth and sucked on her, he felt her skin harden in his mouth and his tongue began playing with the bone ornament that pierced it. He remembered her giggling at him for being surprised in the river two weeks ago. He would show her culture shock.

Moving his head, he nuzzled her, letting the coarse skin of his scar rub against her nipple, and she arched against him, head thrown back, eyelids fluttering.

"Spirits, Zuko . . ." If she had had anything else to say it was quickly lost as she dissolved into moans again as he moved over and began nipping at her other breast, one of his hands cupping the one he just left. She ground against him encouragingly, using all the strength in her water bending abs.

As he licked and sucked his way across her torso, he desperately tried to remember the tips that he had heard from the raunchier castle guards. He was desperate not to disappoint Katara the way he had always seemed to disappoint Mai.

Her hands were running over his chest, her nails scratching lightly, and Zuko put his hands on her waist and pulled her down from where she straddled his lap and lay her back on the bed. Zuko's fingers slid across her stomach and found the hem of her leather loincloth and hooked around the material.

Katara lifted her hips, letting him slide the material off of her, her hands pulling her hair out of it's casement and letting it tumble down across the sheets. The sight of her seemed to extinguish the fire bender's doubts, and he nearly fell upon her, leaving a trail of searing kisses across her navel, tasting her skin, her sweat, and the strange body paint that the girls had rubbed on each other.

He heard a soft cry and her legs wrapped around his torso. He saw Katara's fingers move to her chest and tug gently on her piercing. Sitting back on his knees, Zuko unwrapped her right leg from him and kissed her ankle, her ankle, her calf, her knee, her inner thigh, then he nuzzled her leg, and the rough skin of his scar juxtaposed the hot, velvety wet feel of his mouth in a way that made her shiver in anticipation.

Placing her knee over his shoulder he reached for her other leg and Katara tightened the grip of her legs around him, and Zuko guessed that if he teased much longer she was going to go from sensual kitten to dominatrix. Adjusting his grip on her legs, he leaned forward and nuzzled her mound, then finally flicked his tongue across her core, moving it in circles that started slow and gradually gained speed.

Katara's soft gasps seemed to keep time with him, and soon her whole body tensed, then began to tremble, and he had to press a hand down on her stomach to keep her still enough. Suddenly her hands clenched in the sheets, and all the humidity in the air condensed into hovering droplets in the room that vibrated along with the writhing water bender.

"Oh, Spirits!! No!! Don't stop!!" She arched up, and everything seemed to still for a moment before she screamed out his name, her muscled contracting, "ZUKO!! Oh goddesses!!"

The droplets that had been suspended in the air dropped to the floor, pelting around them like rain for an instant. Katara's head was thrown back, and she still looked as though she were caught in the throes of passion, her bare chest heaving prettily as she panted.

Zuko crawled up over her, resting on his elbows, and she leaned up to kiss him languidly, without opening her eyes, one of her hands moving to caress his chin. She could taste herself on his tongue, and she nipped affectionately at his lower lip. She could feel herself coming down out of her endorphin high, and fatigue was crushing down onto her. Zuko had shifted, lying down next to her, head resting on her shoulder, his fingertips caressing her stomach, then resting back onto her breast.

_What is it with men and breasts?_

"That was amazing . . . you're amazing . . . you're soo amazing . . ." Katara sighed, her drowsy post orgasmic brain making up for lack of variety in adjectives with pure sincerity.

The late night, the bending, the dancing, the foreplay all hit her at once, and she felt herself start to drift. Zuko was warm and soft, and smelled so nice . . .

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She had no idea how long she nodded off, only that the sky was graying with false dawn. Zuko was passed out half on top of her, the uneven skin of his face pressed into her neck. Craning so she could see his face, she noticed with surprise that there was a small smile on his lips.

Zuko rarely smiled.

Even though she was still naked and covered with smudges of red (and blue) paint, where it hadn't been rubbed or kissed off, Katara couldn't think of a single good reason to move. She shifted, cuddling closer to the fire bender, and closed her eyes again.

She hadn't planned it, but didn't regret it. She was developing a real soft spot for the scared warrior, but she hadn't realized just how soft it had been until he had kissed her.

She idly twirled a finger through his hair, listening to his soft breathing.

For once, even though the moon was full, her body didn't complain, she didn't feel like dashing off to her room to have some quality alone time with herself, or jump every man within a ten foot radius of her. And lets be honest, some of the women too.

Sighing softly, she closed her eyes again, vowing to send all the women water benders from the Northern Water Tribe to the Moon Temple when she got back there.

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Aang woke up with a start, his heart in his throat, though he had no idea why. He sat up in bed, or tried to. He found that there were ties around his wrists and ankles.

Someone was in his room.

"Show yourself!!" He bellowed, trying to mask his fear, "I know you're here!"

"Hello Avatar," said a voice from the shadows by his curtains.

He would know that voice anywhere.

It was the voice of the woman who killed him.

"Oh, I was really really hoping to see you again soon, and here you are, in my bed. Waiting for me." He heard the sound of knuckles cracking, and footsteps coming towards him. She leaned over him, gold eyes meeting his own grey ones, and smiled.

A terrifying, predatory smile.

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**Thanks for reading everyone!! Man that took DAYS longer than I thought it would to bang out . . . . eh, so what else is new.**

**Thanks to Adridere for the scar rubbing bit, you are one kinky lady!! I swear . . . calling the medium now . . .**

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**Well, I only have so much 'fandom' time, and I have been concentrating on this fic because its so popular, (much to the annoyance of my DA watchers) so I cant really draw any fan arts for right now.**

**I always feel silly drawing fan arts for my own fics, maybe it's because I can imagine it so well . . . **

**Hahah, and now I feel bad and really gotta go upload some of the Zutara art that's been piling up.**

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**Wow, I have no idea how this fic got so popular, It was just me blowing off some steam after the finale, it has a pretty generic plot, I don't know. I'd say maybe it's the sexin, but that's only just gotten goin. Maybe it's like Pokemon, nobody knows why it's so popular, but, damn it, ya gotta catch 'em all!**

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**Sorry about so long between updates, my car got a flat tire and I have been running around trying to get it fixed, so it is eating up my free time.**

**Current Distractions:**

**Flat Tire**

**Back to school shopping**

**Jen Lancaster's ****Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest to Discover If Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big,**** or ****Why Pie is Not the Answer**

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**R&R&R . . . the third R is for 'rejoice' because the fic finally starting to live up to it's M rating. See you on the flip side!!**


	13. Chapter 13: The Fire Princess

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: M

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Pairing:** Zutara, Aanzula, Taang, . . . you know what? Screw it, no more pairing hints!

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 12: The Fire Princess  
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The Water Tribesman sat on the grass, it had taken him a while to calm down after the impromptu visit from the assassin. The Kyoshi Warriors had been on a code 'testosterone', and were assigned in shifts to watch him as he kept packing his things, planning to storm off to Omashu to scold his sister or kill Zuko. They weren't quite sure which.

Sokka in fact planned to do both.

Ty Lee and her new best 'gal pal' were sitting nearby, they were technically guarding him while Suki practiced with the younger girls, but since all he did was sulk, they had started talking to one another, hands touching now and then.

_Ugh, why don't they just make out already?!_ Sokka glowered at them. Not only were they practically hostaging him, but they were also refusing to publicly make out like hot lesbians should.

They were talking about Mai, apparently the girl had asked Ty Lee back, and the gymnast had refused. She had since stormed off and Ty Lee was worried about her exgirlfriend.

" . . . I don't know, maybe she just needs to cool off and she'll take Zuko back." Kisa was saying.

"Probably, it's what her family would expect her to do." Ty Lee was playing with her fan, spinning it in a circle prettily.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"In the Fire Nation aristocracy, it's all about what your family wants you to do. Particularly your father, especially if he is a high ranking noble."

"You think your father would approve of me?" Kisa asked innocently enough, though the question was loaded.

"Well . . . no, maybe, I don't know." Ty Lee tapped her chin, "Our culture, lesbianism is fine, when you're young, it's sort of a . . . phase, or thought to be, you can 'play on the girl's volleyball team' as much as you want when you're a teenager, but then, you're expected to grow out of it, marry, and pop out a few boys."

"Why?"

"I think, it started as the Fire Nation needed more soldiers. They needed everyone to breed up some boys to join the army, so they outlawed the betrothal of two women or two men, and now, nearly a century later, well, its just tradition, and Mai is a stickler for tradition. I think she is expecting one day to just outgrow it, like she has been schooled she will."

"Denial," Kisa made a face, the same face she made when someone said something about man parts.

"I don't know, she seems to genuinely love Zuko, she said it often enough, though I don't know, maybe she was just never attracted to him, I usually have to read her aura to get a hint about how she is feeling." Ty Lee shrugged, "She was never a very loyal person, and I am worried that now that she is angry at Zuko, she is going to do something stupid . . ."

"That's not fair! She saved me and Zuko's life!" Both girls turned to look at Sokka, and he regretted saying anything. Apparently he was obligated to sit within ear shot but was not supposed to listen in on their conversations while they kept an eye on him, "Suki's too."

"She did, but she also betrayed her mother's trust by not making sure her brother was safe, she left me for another man because it was proper, she never followed Azula's orders, she actively helped you escape because she didn't want Azula to kill her brother, she wouldn't even bother to fight to guard Bosco, she just let you and Toph, the Avatar's earth bending teacher waltz out of Ba Sing Se. Mai does what Mai wants to."

Sokka looked proud, "Yea, we really taught you a lesson, Ty Lee."

"Actually it was Toph who beat me, she was the one who taught me the lesson." Ty Lee giggled, "You just danced with me, remember? It was soooooo cute."

Sokka reddened, deciding that the acrobat should have the decency to be embarrassed about her old crush on him.

"What can I say, I am irresistible to lesbians."

Kisa leaned into Ty Lee and whispered something, Sokka couldn't hear them, so he went back to sulking.

"More like he turns girls INTO lesbians."

"Among other things . . ." Ty Lee giggled again, and both girls stole conspiring glances at Sokka.

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"So . . . what happened to my things?" Azula reached up and caressed the silk she had used to tie him.

"I don't know," Aang glared, "Zuko must have moved them, you should let me up Azula and come quietly back to the asylum."

"Mmm . . ." She crawled up onto the huge bed, and Aang noticed that her attire was singed, ashy, and hung from her in rags. He could however, make out the green tone of the gown that the inmates of the asylum wore, and the cut was the same, short sleeve, oversized, and hemmed at mid calf. It barley covered essential parts of her anatomy, her hair was tussled, and her eyes were wild.

"Let me up, Azula! Or I'll take away your bending."

"Oh . . . I'm so terrified of the little tiny Avatar." She straddled his stomach, pointing a long nailed finger at his neck, "Tiny, delicate, defenseless little boy." She crooned, "Where is your mama?"

Aang took a gulp of air and blew, knocking her backwards off the bed. She grunted as her butt hit the floor, and he began yelling for Toph. Azula had bolted back over to him and slapped him across the face, splitting his lip. A quick pivot on the ball of her foot and she brought her bare heel down on his solar plexus, and all the air slammed out of his lungs, leaving him gasping, unsure if all his ribs were still intact.

"TO-ohh ow . . ." Aang twisted, coughing.

Azula crossed her arms, her voice becoming bossy, "Don't bother really, the walls are thick enough sound won't carry from room to room, those ties are fireproof, guess the servants thought they were part of my bed when they cleared out my things, and the door is barred."

"Why are you here? What do you want?"

Azula crawled back down the length of his bed, her shoulder blades apparent in the full moonlight shining in through the open terrace doors. They moved as she crawled, and he felt as though some breed of giant cat was stalking toward him across the covers. She had lost weight staying in the asylum, her cheeks more hollow than they had been, though before she had been the pampered favorite of the previous Fire Lord, not an insane inmate in a local madhouse. Her gold eyes glowed in the moonlight, making her seem more feline, and more deadly.

"Well, I want my kingdom and my crown," She straddled his stomach again, playing with the fabric of his robe, "I want my brother and you kneeling at my feet, and I want my father back." Her hair hung wildly in her face, and she pulled up the hem of the nearly shredded thigh length hospital gown, and for an instant, Aang panicked, thinking that she was going to take it off.

"But right now, I just wanted my cloths and weapons."

Instead she revealed a upper thigh sheath, a dagger, and a pair of the smallest undergarments he had ever seen. She unsheathed the dagger and then looked up and growled, grabbing his jaw with her free hand.

"You like the view, you vile cad?" She leaned her weight onto her hand, making Aang gasp as she started crushing his windpipe.

"I . . er . . umm . . . I don't know . . . no . . .yes . . ." he wheezed out.

"So you DON'T like the view?" the pressure on his neck increased.

"YES!" Aang rasped, "Yes . . . I like the view!!"

"Fucking pervert." She hit him again and Aang tasted blood, but at least released his neck.

He blinked, trying to dissipate the stars dancing in front of his eyes and took several deep breaths.

"Where is my brother?" she dragged the knife blade across his skin, then put the tip to her lips, blowing on it. It started turning red.

"I won't tell you!" Aang hissed, "I won't tell you anything, so you might as well give up."

Azula touched the tip of her knife to his chest, "Mai told me about the water bender, Its such a pity . . ."

Aang hissed, trying to wriggle away from her, to duck away from the heat of the knife.

"Seems like a silly thing you both did, to break up over a kiss, but she'll have plenty of time to explain it to me. You too, though I don't really care, you're nothing." She traced the tip into the characters that spelled her name, his flesh reddening underneath the metal.

"You leave Mai alone!" Aang glared, he was mad at the goth for hurting Katara, but she didn't deserve Azula's wrath by any means

"You can tell my brother, I'll treat her better than he ever did." Azula grinned, leaning backwards, her head lolling back, "Not that I ever really had a thing for girls, but, I'll try anything once."

This was making no sense, Azula was insane. Azula was lying. Azula always lied. Aang blew another blast at her, but this time she clamped her knees down on his sides and he didn't unseat her.

"You really want to play rough?" She pressed the now only warm blade into his cheek, "You have such pretty eyes, Avatar Aang, and I could gouge them out; take them home with me."

Aang stilled, staring at the metal, "No, please, I like my eyes where they are,"

"Then thank me for not ripping them out." Azula put her hands on her hips.

"Umm . . . thank you, Azula."

"PRINCESS Azula." She corrected.

Another figure swung over the railing of his balcony, and Aang recognized Mai.

"What is taking so long, Azula? I thought you said you just needed to get a few things out of your secret-" Mai stopped, her eyes resting on Aang.

"We hit an unexpected opportunity." Azula stretched out along the monk, and Aang blushed as the princess's chest pressed against his cheek.

"Quit messing around." Mai ordered softly, "Get your stuff and come on."

"Go on ahead, I want to stay and play." Azula draped a leg over the bound air bender to make a point.

"Azula, you're not thinking straight." Mai told her, walking over to a bag sitting next to an open secret hatch in the wall and heaving it up over her shoulder, "We don't want to get caught."

Azula hissed, and glared, a battle of wills going on, "We have already been 'caught', Aang knows we're on the run."

Mai turned away, "Fine, meet me at the house when you're done." She carried the bag to the balcony and disappeared over the railing.

It seemed Azula was still the alpha female, insane or not.

Barely.

"Now . . . Where were we?" Azula drew her nails down Aang's jaw line and he shuddered in terror. And some other feelings that were confusing.

Aang yanked hard on his binding, lighting them on fire, but the fibers would not catch, apparently Azula was prepared to tie up fire benders in her bed for some reason.

She pressed her mouth to his ear, her hand toying with the fabric of his robes, she whispered, "You are to tell my brother I have escaped. You are to tell him that Mai was the one who sprung me. You are to tell him I am going to find Ursa, and I am going to kill her unless he hands over Father."

Aang's strained away from her, and she replaced the leg over his stomach, clamping him against her, using his discomfort to her advantage.

"No, I won't do anything for you!"

"It would be pretty irresponsible to neglect telling the Fire Lord that his homocidal sister has escaped from her confinement. Isn't it?" Her left hand slipped under the sash of his robe and Aang stiffened as her nails danced across his chest.

"Isn't it?"

He clamped his mouth shut, and Azula propped her head up on her right hand, still holding the dagger with it.

"ANSWER ME!!" She dug in her nails hard and opened up three long scratches across the Avatar's chest.

Aang twisted, and wiggled, trying to get out from under her leg, he felt his wrists and elbows pop as he strained against the ties. They didn't give or tighten, Azula obviously knew how to restrain someone properly so that the ties wouldn't tighten and cut off the blood flow.

Aang looked away, she would lose interest if he stopped 'playing' back. She would get tired of toying with him and go away and he could scream for Toph without getting slapped until his retinas were knocked from his eyes.

Like a viper, the princess was on him again, tearing the robes from his body. This time her inner thighs were pressed skin to skin with his stomach, he could feel her . . . place, pressing against his stomach. Her legs were clammy from the night air but warm against him, and she clamped them, making him gasp and stare at her mesmerized. She raised her bloody nails to her mouth and sucked the blood off of them. It was a show, he knew it, a show to turn his stomach, and it worked. He felt the bile in his stomach rise as he watched her tongue dart out and lap up the sticky red substance coating her fingers. As he watched in fascination, to his horror, he felt something else rise as well.

"Ha! Maybe not a little boy much longer!" She grinned, a fierce, calculating leer, her teeth stained red with blood. Then she bent over him and was licking the wound she had created, her long, black hair tumbling across his neck and face.

Aang took another deep breath to blow her off him, but without even looking up the girl brought her elbow hard into his ribcage. He coughed it out, chest heaving. Azula raised her head, and Aang's stomach turned, there was a smear of blood across her nose and cheek, and her lips were dripping with it.

She tilted her head back, and drips of it trickled down her chin and dripped onto the shirt that barely clung to her. Aang's eyes followed the drips and realized that the collar had dipped so far down one of her arms that it had exposed part of her chest. He blushed and stiffened, trying to wriggle away.

"What's wrong Avatar?" Azula looked down and seemed to notice her bare chest for the first time. She giggled, a cracking, harsh giggle, "My body terrifies you more than a dagger? Oh that is too cute . . . ." she rocked her hips against him once, in a sickening, mock tease.

"Get off me Azula!!" Aang ordered, bringing up a leg to knee her in the back. She leaned forward to avoid his attack and kissed him, prying his mouth open with her fingers so she could taste him, and he could not bite.

Aang pressed his head back into the mattress, trying to escape her attentions. He could taste his blood dripping from her mouth onto him, and she forced her tongue further into his mouth, expertly running it over a point on the roof of his mouth that tickled in the most amazing . . . unsettling way.

Aang gagged.

Azula sucked on his split lip.

"Maybe I'll keep you as a pet when I am Fire Lord." Azula teased, adjusting her long shirt so that she no longer fell out of it.

Aang took a deep breath while she was distracted, aimed carefully, and let out a blast of air bending. Azula slammed into the wall that separated his and Toph's room.

"TOPH!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, "TOPH!! TOPH HELP!!" then Azula was on top of him again, her hand covering his mouth. He bit her, but she didn't remove it.

He heard Toph's door open.

"Fuck!" The princess swore, then leaned over him, body flush against him, "I'll be back, our game isn't over." She whispered, licking his lips, then leaping off the bed, slinking off into the shadows. For a few terrifying seconds there was nothing, then the familiar sound of feet pounding, the door being slammed, then the metal bended down.

"Twinkle Toes, what happened? I felt a huge crash!! Why is the bed vibrating?"

"Toph!! Azula's here!!"

Toph frowned, "There is nobody . . . ." her nostrils flared, " . . . . She WAS here . . . You're bleeding! What happened?!" the blind girl rushed over to the bed and began groping until she found the ties.

"She . . . She . . . I . . . and then . . . she . . .ow!! Careful! She, she scratched me, Mai helped break her out. She said she was going to . . . ow! Umm . . . they were going to seize control, she wanted Ozai. Cant you go any faster Toph?"

"I'm trying! I can't actually see what I am undoing." The earth bender put her head down and sunk her teeth into the knot, tugging it loose.

Aang gulped, uncomfortable with his instructer's mouth pressed so close to his wrist. After she yanked the knot loose, he rolled over and pulled the other one free, thankful she couldn't see his blood smeared face or torn robes.

"Okay Aang, tell me what exactly happened." She tugged the cord near the bed, and then waited patently for his explanation.

Taking a deep breath, the Avatar launched into an abridged version of it, how she had tied him to her bed, how she had gotten her weapons, how she had scratched and hit him, and what she had said.

Toph was livid, but tried to keep her voice calm, "So Sparky's ex let her go? That's it, she is out of the friend circle."

"That's mean Toph."

"Avatar Aang?" The servant stepped inside and bowed, pretending he didn't notice the trashed room or the bloody sheets, "You summoned me?"

"I need a messenger hawk, one that is trained to fly to the Earth Kingdom Swamp and back." Aang padded over to the desk, his hands shaking as he tried to uncork the ink bottle.

"Umm, sir?"

"Yes?"

"We don't have any birds trained to fly to the Swamp. Nobody has ever wanted to send a message there. We have ones that fly to Omashu, and ones that fly to Kyoshi Island."

"Umm . . . Kyoshi Island then, fetch me the fastest one." Aang began shakily writing on a small scroll, halfway through he accidentally dripped on his writing, and he put his head in his hands, not sure whether he wanted to scream, or cry, or hide.

"You should go see a surgeon." Toph suggested, putting a hand on his back, "Not write a letter."

"I'm fine, all she did was scratch my chest and split my lip." Aang's voice cracked.

"You're lying." Toph crossed her arms.

Aang rallied and redipped his brush into the ink, scrawling out the rest of his letter.

"Aang!"

He ignored her, blowing on the ink, drying it.

"AANG!!"

"I'm going to take this down to the aviary." He rolled it up and jumped off the chair, bolting out the door.

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Zuko propped himself on his elbow, gazing down at the sleeping water bender in his bed. He had been awake for a little over an hour, but just didn't feel like getting up. He wondered if Katara would be weirded out that he was watching her sleep. He reasoned that as long as she was naked in his bed, he had the right to enjoy the view.

Shifting softly, he ran his fingertips across her bare stomach . . . to make sure she wasn't cold of course . . . and admired her dark complexion against his pale one. She sighed happily and curled closer against him. She felt a little oily from the dried sweat still clinging to her from the previous night, but he wasn't put off by it, after all, they had worked up a sweat together.

He had woken up at sunrise with a strange high he recognized was happiness and a hard on, and it had taken him a few panicked seconds to remember why there was a brunette water bender curled up against him instead of his ebony haired ex. The events of the night before had come crashing back, and he had relaxed. He felt confused, he had never fallen madly in bed with someone before, and although he knew there was something between them, he wasn't sure if she would be appreciative of his advances morning after.

He hoped what the handler said about fillies being too tired to bite after a hard ride was true.

The temple was only just starting to come alive, even though it was late morning. He could hear the sound of people slipping out of rooms, splashing in the lake, and walking and talking across the green.

He pressed his lips to her ear, "'Tara . . ."

She growled and covered her ears, trying to roll over. Zuko's arms encircled her waist, and he pulled her back onto her back. He pressed against her, enjoying the friction through the leather he still wore.

"Come on, people are getting up."

Katara sat up, stretching, then noticed she was still without her cloths. She heard the mat in her room shift and Yeo's voice, "Come on Katara!! . . . Hey Lee . . . Has Katara already-" the mat between their rooms opened and Yeo stepped through.

"Ah, there y'all are!" Yeo, raised an eyebrow, "Look'n like y'all had one hell of a night!"

For the first time, Katara surveyed the room, the chair was overturned, when she had thrown her top it had knocked Zuko's razor, comb, and soaps to the floor. The ceramic walls were smeared with blue and red paint, and it still clung to them in many spots, turning a royal purple from the contact.

"We were . . ." Katara grasped at straws, "Sparring."

Yeo laughed, doubling over and hitting her knee, "Did ya get your cloths burned off?"

Katara huffed.

"Y'all don't need to be ashamed, y'all had fun! Last night everyone did! A lil' roll in the grass with a man ya like is somthin to be proud of! Plus, last night, the moon spirit seemed to cheer and took a man! She'll start to pull on us even harder now that she is no longer depressed, you'll really start feelin the power flow soon!"

As the preistess in training talked, Katara made the short walk of shame, got out of bed, grabbed her skirt off the floor where Zuko had dropped it, and yanked it on.

Yeo picked up her top and handed it to her, then winked at them, "Katara, y'all can meet me to wash 'n eat in a few minutes? Vel wants to have another session with you now that ya might be feeling a little more 'emotionally balanced'."

"Okay." Katara began fastening her top as the other teenager strolled out, fingers laced behind her head in amusement.

Zuko stood, "I . . . about last night . . . I didn't plan it . . . I really-"

Katara went up on her toes and kissed him quickly, still holding her top closed, "I am not mad, jeez Zuko, don't worry, you don't have to walk on eggshells. We're cool . . . I guess I have to go have a lesson,"

"Yea,"

"You want to come?"

"What?"

"To my lesson. Do you want to come with me to my lesson?"

He blushed, and shook his head, "I'm going to clean up my room and get some lunch."

"Oh, yea, I'm sorry . . .we kinda trashed it, You want help picking up?"

"No, it's fine, you go ahead, you shouldn't keep your instructor waiting. I want you to learn this technique. The sooner you do, the sooner we can leave."

Katara nodded, but didn't move, feeling guilty. Finally she sighed, ran her fingers through her hair, and slunk back into her room. Zuko listened as she rummaged in her pack, then swept out into the hallway.

Instead of tidying right away, he splashed some water onto his face, and rinsed out his mouth, then sat back on his bed, head pillowed on one of his arms. He thought back to the night, his fingers touching his mouth as he reviewed the memory. It was the hottest night he had ever had with a woman, even though it had been foreplay, the way she had writhed, moaned, and called out his name . . . .

Zuko realized suddenly that Mai had not set the bar very high.

The memory had made him hard again, and he listened again to make sure that Katara was gone, and reached to untie his snakeskin loincloth. Closing his eyes, he remembered the water bender straddling his lap, kissing him, remembered how her chest looked, the way it had jiggled when she had shuddered.

His fingers circled his shaft, teasing along it's length before flicking his thumb over the head.

For the next quarter of a candle mark, he lost himself in fantasies, reliving the previous night in his minds eye. All too soon, he finished, doubling over and taking a few deep breaths to mask his moans.

He lay back, closing his eyes, relaxing, but the sound of people talking in the hallways had him on his feet and cleaning himself up. He toweled off the body paint from both his skin and the wall, replaced his swamp cloths, righted the chair, and reorganized the items on his table.

As he was combing the braids out of his hair, he heard someone calling for him.

"Hey Lee, ya in 'n decent?"

"Yes." Zuko combed another of the small braids out with his fingers. They were difficult to find among his hair and he hoped he had gotten them all.

"Where's th' master water bender? Ya two have a fight?" It was the boy who had been stirring the pot of dye, Zuko couldn't recall his name.

"No."

"Really? Ya'll're not mad at her?"

"No."

"Wow, ya really aren't steamed?"

"No. Why would I be?"

"Well, I heard it through the swamp vine that she called out the wrong name last night. I heard she screamed for someone named 'Zuko'." The boy looked smug, "Seems like that would make a fella a little angry . . ."

Zuko stiffened.

The boy crossed his arms, looking amused "Y'all know that by tonight everyone is goin' know, Ya might as well drop the codename."

"Will the priestesses be angry?"

The man laughed, "Are ya kiddin? Ya thought the flirtin was bad before when ya'll were the new boy that everyone wanted the first ride from . . ."

Zuko shook his head, the women here would be considered horrible tramps back in the Fire Nation, but here, the culture was matriarchal, and he guessed that the women who were so open had the same attitude that the men who juggled courtesans, mistresses, and wives in the Fire Nation did. Only them men didn't seem to care they were being juggled. Everything was so spiritual, so natural.

It was part of the culture. They got lusty at the full moon. They had sex. Simple.

Why was it everywhere else was so complicated?

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Mai paced back and forth in the parlor of her parent's house, becoming more and more anxious as the minutes passed. Azula should have gotten there by now, she decided, and she wondered if the Avatar had escaped and beaten her after all. If that was the case, she should be using her time to get as far away as possible.

There was a bang on the door.

Mai peeked through the curtains, and was relieved to see the former princess on the doorstep. She opened the door, and Azula swept inside.

"Did anyone see you?" Mai asked, sticking her head out and looking both ways down the street.

"By this time tomorrow, it won't matter, everyone will know." Azula sank down in one of the chairs and crossed her legs, "You said you had something for me?"

"Yes." Mai walked across the room and opened the doorway to the hall. Two men stepped through, blue lightening bolts painted on their faces.

"I found these two after interrogating a few supporters, they're the leaders of the Ozai supporters. They want to put you back on the throne." Mai looked pleased with herself.

The two men knelt down, trying not to stare at the princess's disheveled appearance. Even though she looked like she had crawled through a muddy trench, she was still terrifying.

"No."

"What?" Mai looked surprised.

"No, I have no use for them, or you, I cant trust anyone, I have to do everything myself this time, to make sure everything goes smoothly." Azula waved her hand, dismissing them.

"Fire Lord Azula!! We are your loyal servants!!"

"But Azula!" Mai protested, "You can't take over the Fire Nation by yourself!"

Azula frowned, then stood, walking over to the two guerillas, and leaned in close.

"I just need the right leverage." Azula grinned.

"Azula." Mai rolled her eyes, "You really think it's a good idea to shun your supporters?"

Azula frowned, thinking hard in a moment of lucidness, then crouched down, "Maintain your positions, I'll send for you if I need you."

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Katara followed the older priestess through the woods, not really paying attention to the path that they were following. Her mind was still whirling with the moon ritual, she wanted to ask questions about what had happened, but wasn't sure it was okay.

"Please go ahead and ask, we welcome everyone wishing to learn, no man, woman, or creature from any nation, tribe, or religion is ever turned away unless we sense darkness in their heart."

"How did you know I was thinking about it?"

"I have the gift. I can usually hear what is in people's hearts and minds if I listen." The priestess looked around, caught sight of a bird in the trees and addressed it, "If you don't mind, we would like to practice here."

The bird screamed a human scream and then took off through the tree branches.

The woman eased herself onto a fallen log, groaning as her joints complained, "Now, little sister, hopefully you will concentrate better today, now that you have paid tribute to your earth mother and grounded yourself."

Katara blushed, tucking a strand of hair back into her bun.

"Ah well, we will start the lesson." The woman began drawing in the mud with her walking stick, she drew a human profile outline and then the brain inside, she sectioned off the areas of the brain, named them, and then told Katara what their purposes were. She explained how there were fluids inside the brain that could pull things out against the patient's wishes, but that she shouldn't try to bend it. That it was just too easy to damage the tissues inside the person's head, and she could inadvertently destroy the information that she was looking for.

Vel then began explaining different ways to get around mental blocks that the person would put up, and just how hard she could push before the person would suffer brain damage. That is was mostly a battle of wills, and that she was a guest in the person's head, that they were the ones that reigned supreme in there.

Katara was starting to realize what a chore it would be to sift through all of Ozai's memories for a hint on Ursa. She knew he would fight her every second of the way, and Katara wondered briefly if she shouldn't send Aang to learn the technique and pay back the favor to Zuko.

"That will not work." Vel told her, "The Avatar is powerful because he has control of all four elements. The problem is that he cannot MASTER any of the elements to the extent that one of us can. He will never be as good a water bender as you are, and never be as good a fire bender as the Fire Lord is . . . well, the Fire Lord will be when he figures out what he wants."

Katara frowned, did Vel know? How did Vel know?

"I apologize, the full moon makes me stronger, and I pick up things that are not necessarily things I people want me to know." Vel shrugged, "Everyone will know soon anyways, there are no secrets in the swamp."

"So, how long do you think before I can use the technique?"

"It will take practice, practice all you can on as many people who will let you." Vel shrugged, "The waters whisper that you will not master the form here. That I will not be your . . . what's your word for it? Sifu?"

Katara sat down on a huge mushroom, "How can you tell these things?! I met this fortune teller once, and she could read palms, but you don't even read palms!"

"I read the currents of fate." The woman frowned, as though it were difficult to explain, "I am a Moerae, It is a very old word for 'fates', that is what we do, we read the past and the future, we worship the moon and her triple faces, we dance, we guard the swamp and it's secrets from those who would harm it. Our water bending creed is not combat centric, it is wisdom centric, because from our knowledge comes our power."

Katara sighed, the style was so different, she didn't understand what the crone meant.

Arca Vel heaved herself up, "I want you to stay here and meditate until the swamp gives you a vision. It is quite safe, the mammoth swamp pythons have retreated to the south desert side of the swamp because of all the rain we had a few weeks ago, its flooded, and there is new pray to be found, so nothing will come eat you."

"So how will I find my way back?" Katara looked uncertain.

"Ask the swamp." Vel patted the girl's shoulder, then ambled off into the woods.

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**Woah 13, Hope everyone liked!! Sorry it was shorter than the others, this was just the best cutting point for a long long while.**

**But here we are, in honor of over 20,000 views, you guys rock!!**

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**Well, as far as Azula goes, remember what Zuko said about her when he and Katara were playing guessing games while riding . . .**

**So yes, she would indeed both think of and have the necessary tools to tie up an Avatar in her room.**

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**As for the lovin, I have been trying to put a new twist on a cliché plot, and that includes the naughty bits. So hopefully things will be unexpected if not original. **

**Zuko is very shy. Talented but shy. I tried to hint that his experiences with Mai were less than passionate, so he has a bit of a skewed idea of the 'give and take' of it.**

**As in there is no 'take'.**

**Oh, and the swamp men were neither referring to his face nor his chest. :wink:**

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**So R&R, questions, comments, criticisms, predictions, links to your story you think I should read. **

**I am surprised, I don't think I have gotten any flames, this is a first! You Flamers should get on that!!**

**:mutters about how flamers these days are such slackers:**


	14. Chapter 14: The Murder

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: PG-13

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend..

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 12: The Murder**

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Aang was just fastening the letter he wrote to the messenger hawk when a portly servant skidded to a stop next to him. The man bent over wheezing, it was clear that he had ran a long way looking for the Avatar.

"Avatar Aang!! There has been an incident at the Asylum!! Princess Azula has escaped, she . . . ."

Aang frowned, "What happened?"

"You're not surprised?" the servant looked confused, he pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and dabbed at his streaming forehead, "This could become a political incident! She killed three of the nurses there."

"She what?!"

"I was only instructed to inform you that you were needed to give orders immediately. I suggest you arrange for a tracking squad to find her as soon as possible. I have cleared your appointments for this morning, it's nearly dawn, if you hurry, you might be able to catch her before the news hits the streets. She cannot have gotten far."

Aang looked around helplessly, he was a thirteen year old boy, he didn't know what to do. He looked at his hands.

"Who were the victims? What were their names?"

"Arrangements for the family of the deceased will be made, you don't need to worry about them." The man looked uncomfortable, and Aang could see that there was something that he was not telling him.

"Start a citywide search, I want all of Zuko's private guard to search for her . . ." as he spoke, the decisions became easier, "I want the scribes to start working on wanted posters in case she is not found, both for. Any Azula supporters slinking around are to be brought in for questioning, if Mai is fine, she is to be brought in for questioning. Saddle Appa, I am going to go see the crime scene."

"No!!" the servant said hurriedly, then shifted, "I mean, it's not necessary for you to see the crime scene, two of the fire nations top surgeons and castle guard are en route to inspect it thoroughly."

Aang pursed his lips, "Why were surgeons called in and not just the night watch?"

The man shifted, and Aang sighed, the man obviously didn't think that a murder was no place for a thirteen year old boy. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, then blurted out, "the carnage of it, I was told that there has never been a murder like it!"

"Saddle Appa." Aang's voice hardened, fresh panic gripping his chest.

The man bowed and turned on his heel, scuttling out of the room, and Aang tuned back to look at the hawks in their separate cages. They peered back, and one screeched.

"So Twinkle Toes, you finished sending your very important letter?"

It was Toph, she was leaning against the doorframe.

"Can we go pound some royalty into the soil and haul them back to prison now?"

"You can, I am going to the asylum to assess the damage."

"What?! Aang!! We gotta chase her down!! Immediately!!" Toph had assumed her usual debating stance, stepping into his personal space in a dominating and intimidating gesture.

Aang tried to evade her, he sidestepped and went for the door, "I'm going to wash and change, Appa will be ready to go by then."

"Aang!!" Toph stepped in front of him.

He stepped to the side.

So did she.

He stepped back to his other side.

So did she, intentionally barring his way.

"What do you mean assess the damage?!" his constant evasiveness was getting annoying.

Aang cast a glance around, most of the hawks had gone back to dosing. He inhaled deeply, and explained to her what happened at the asylum, and what the servant had told him.

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Azula looked in Mai's hand mirror for a long time. It was the first time she had seen her reflection in what must have been nearly six months. She touched her hollowed cheeks, her collarbone, her neck, she looked half starved.

That would not do.

Her mongoose dragon sneezed, and Azula snapped back to attention. She looked ahead at Mai, who was staring vacantly off into the forest. Ursa was nowhere to be seen, the apparition had been mysteriously absent since she left the asylum.

Azula tugged on her hair nervously, glancing behind her, the capitol city still in view across the steppes. It was obvious that Mai was waiting for the correct time to abandon her, the girl had no backbone. She would have to be careful, Mai was not to be trusted, Mai would want to know the plan, Mai was not like Ty Lee, Mai didn't follow without question. Mai would insist on no more killing. Mai was a bad lackey.

Azula looked at her nails, they still had the Avatar's blood caked underneath them. She smiled. She knew one of the Avatar's weaknesses, she just needed to figure out how to exploit it.

"Where are we going?" Mai asked, looking over her shoulder. She had been paler than usual the whole ride, and Azula assumed it was because she was unaccustomed to murder.

"Turn left here, go up the hill." _Weakling._

Mai didn't argue, and the Princess went back to studying her nails. She could kill Mai, but Azula hated the idea of killing someone who could become useful to her again. But if she didn't she would risk a second betrayal. The aristocrat had proved most squeamish.

She went back to running her fingers through her hair. The road reached a river, and she reined her mongoose dragon into the water. Mai turned in the saddle and did the same. They doubled back the way they had came walking in the riverbed, and then down a tributary when the river forked. Azula wanted to be sure she would be impossible to track. The river soon became rougher, and the mounts began to hop, trying to pick their way through the rapids.

"We're getting wet." Mai complained.

"It gets clearer up ahead, we can ride on top of the water." Azula snapped back, a little water never hurt anyone. Mai was just bitching about anything to do with water or water bending.

It did indeed calm ahead, and they spurred their mounts to a hind legged run. The creatures darted across the water with relative ease, and the miles flew by. Azula cast another glance over her shoulder, the Avatar must have formed a search party by now, soon she wagered, her mother would do the same, after all, it would be her head on the line if Azula wrot havoc. She had been the one that talked the council out of the death sentence, so she would have to take partial responsibility for her daughter's actions under blood law.

Azula frowned, perhaps the nurse at the asylum would not be enough to get her mother's attention. She wasn't sure how far the news needed to travel, perhaps she would need to set a bigger signal fire. She glanced over at Mai again. The aristocrat had forbid her from killing anyone else, threatened to leave her stranded, so she would have to be sneaky. She had no intention of following any orders the Mai gave her.

Unfortunately, the girl was right, although it was fun, any more killings would be a waste of time and lead the Avatar straight to her. She set her mind to figuring out how to leave a trail for Ursa that the Avatar would not see, even if it was right in front of his face.

She reigned her mongoose dragon in another direction, "We're going this way." She shouted ahead to Mai, "I remember a place where Ursa took me to play when I was little, said it was the spot where her great great grandmother had a summer house. I think it's in ruins now after Avatar Sozin fell out of favor. I remember, she never took Zuko there. Said it was a 'secret girls place' . . . I think I know what she meant by that, I think it was a meeting place for the Order."

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Aang jumped off Appa before the sky bison could even land. There were already crowds of people forming around the asylum wall, and the city guards had their hands full telling everyone to back off and to go home. One of them saw him and jogged over.

"Avatar Aang!!" he pulled his helmet off, revealing a handsome, but weary face, "We were not expecting you, have you found the princess?"

"I came to see the crime scene, I though there might be some hints as to what she is planning to do." Aang also wanted to see for himself that the fire princess had killed someone.

"Very well, I will escort you to her cell." They waked through the double doors and down a long winding corridor, "Two were just stabbed in the chest, we believe in the wrong place at the wrong time, the third however . . ." the man hesitated, "We thing it might be a message for someone."

They climbed flight after flight of stairs, Azula must have been kept very high up in the tower.

"It's two more flights . . . here." The man held out a handkerchief drenched in jasmine smelling oil, "It won't help much though."

Aang looked at it, then back at the guard, the guard however was climbing the next flight, still talking.

"It's a delicate situation, half the city is still loyal to her, and although this behavior warrants a death penalty, if Fire Lord Zuko executes her, we will have a civil war on our hands. However, if he takes no action, he will lose some of the supporters he does have, because it will seem as though he favors emotion over justice . . . ugh." He held his own handkerchief over his nose and mouth.

Aang noticed it as they reached the landing, a horrid, sweet, disgusting scent that he knew immediately was a decomposing body. He pressed the handkerchief over his face, and found sadly that the man was right, it did not help much.

"We figure the corpse is about 12 hours old, since the body has not quite cooled to room temperature, and rigor mortis has not set in, though it would be hard to tell if it had."

Aang tried to listen, but the stench was getting worse, it smelled like decay, and like shit, and he began willing his stomach not to turn. He decided that this was not such a good idea, and the next time he felt curious about something, or insistent on being treated like an adult, he would rethink it.

"It's just through here." The guard said, voice muffled by a handkerchief, "Brace yourself." He opened the door to the cell, and hustled Aang through.

Aang took everything in at once, a woman, gutted like a rag doll, her innards strewn across the floor, her intestines draped across the charred bed like streamers, her eyes gouged out, her mouth gaping, her liver and pancreas in her lap. Her chest was covered with blood, which had seeped from a long, deep gash that severed her windpipe. The bottom half of her body was nearly purple, as all her blood had settled to the lowest point, and it had made her swell up.

There was a dried orchid placed inside one of the woman's sockets, and it's petals dripped with congealing blood. He thought back to Azula's torn and charred medical gown, it must have been spattered with dried blood too. He remembered her talk of taking his eyes, and his gut twisted into a knot, his breakfast in his throat.

Aang bent over to throw up, and the guard quickly grabbed his shirt and wrenched him away from the cadaver. The Avatar braced himself against the wall after his stomach had emptied itself, and took a deep breath. Unfortunately he had not replaced the cloth over his mouth, and he inhaled the sickening aroma of decay again, and coughed, wanting to throw up again, but nothing was in his stomach.

He was vaguely aware of two surgeons walking in and scolding the guard, and the guard patting his back and offering him a water skin to rinse his mouth out with. He found upon gulping, that the thing was not filled with water, but wine, and he quickly spat it out. Suddenly he felt dizzy, the room was spinning. . . .

"Lee, you moron, why did you bring a little boy up?!" One of the surgeons scolded the guard as he caught the fainting Avatar.

Lee juggled the Avatar in one hand and the handkerchief in the other, "If the Avatar orders me to bring him up to see the body, I bring him." He managed to half scuttle out the room with the boy, holding him with an arm and a leg.

He put him down and the surgeon who had scolded him knelt to take a look, a mask over their mouth and nose.

"Jeez, the kid is all scratched up! Burnt too, and look at his wrists, they're bruised!"

"Man, those are scratches from a ladies nails! I would have thought him a little young for THAT kind of 'play'!" The guard chuckled.

"My apprentices have brought a med pack, fetch me some water and one of them, these should be tended to properly." The surgeon waved him off.

Lee rolled his eye behind the physician's back but followed the order. He returned after several minutes, two medical students in tow. One held a flask of water, the other a big pack stuffed to the brim.

The surgeon opened the bag and rummaged through it, pulled out swabs and drenched them with alcohol, then dabbed at the Avatar's chest.

"Mmm . . ." Aang felt like he was waking up from sleeping, his limbs felt heavy. Something was stinging his chest and he swatted at it.

"Please lay still Avatar Aang, this wont take a moment."

The stinging continued.

Aang opened his eyes, trying to remember where he was, why he wasn't in bed, why there was someone with a face mask bending over him.

"Where . . .?"

"You lost consciousness, don't worry, Private Lee there caught you before you hit your head."

"I'm not a private, I am a second lieutenant!" The man argued.

"I fainted?"

"Yes."

"But only girls faint!"

"Anyone is capable of fainting." The surgeon's voice became cutting and annoyed and Aang suddenly noticed the delicate liner around her eyes, and that her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her two apprentices snickered from where they stood, and Aang blushed, he hadn't meant to insult her.

Aang sat up, and the nausea returned, he rolled back onto his side, thankful that Toph had opted to lead the tracking party for Azula instead of coming with him to see the victims. She would never let him live down the fact that he had thrown up and fainted.

"Take this, put it on." The surgeon was holding something out, it was a facemask. Aang took it and tied it around his head, thankful for the charity. He sat as she bandaged his chest, and then allowed her and Second Lieutenant Lee to help him up.

"Alright, ready for round two, Avatar Aang?" Lee teased lightly.

"You're not suggesting I am to let him back onto my crime scene!" The surgeon argued, "He already almost threw up on the body!! You are to go home and rest Avatar, you are in no physical or mental state to be looking at dead bodies. You let us professionals take care of everything."

Aang wanted to flee the scene, and was more than happy to follow one of the apprentices out of the building. He collapsed on Appa's head, and buried his face into his friend's soft fur, trying to shake the memory that was burned into his mind.

Once he had pulled himself back together, he picked up Appa's reigns and flicked them, "Appa, yip yip."

He had every intention of finding Azula before she hurt anyone else.

…

…

…

…

Katara sat, listening to the soft sounds of the swamp around her. She had been sitting for the better part of the day, and she was starting to think that nothing was going to happen. Her stomach growled, and she felt hot and sticky.

She put her chin in her hands and rested her elbows on her knees, trying to wait patently for something to happen.

Nothing did.

She contemplated going back to camp, but stubbornly resolved that she would not leave the spot until the swamp showed her something. Katara tried meditating, but it didn't help, she tried yoga, but after sinking into the mud to her elbows and knees in downward facing dog she gave up on it.

She stood, figuring she was already lost, and wandered deeper into the swamp, stepping around vines and over huge fallen logs. She found it worked better if she froze the water in the mud before she stepped on it. She emerged from a particularly close cluster of bangrove trees and saw she was at the foot of the huge tree in the swamp's center.

She grabbed one of the vines and started to climb up the root, deciding it would be easy to find her way back to the settlement if she knew which way to go. She could see the sky, and caught the last few minutes of the sunset, and as the swamp darkened several patches lit up with campfires, though she couldn't figure out which settlement was the temple.

The hours crept along, and she resigned herself to spending the night camped in the swamp. The prospect would have seemed a lot less disheartening if there wasn't a handsome fire bender in the bedroom next to her's back at the temple. She considered again wading through the mire, but she didn't know what kinds of animals crawled out of the mud to play once the sun set, and decided that it would be better to spend the night under the protection of the grandfather tree.

She picked a few huge leaves off of one of the plants nearby, crossing her fingers and praying they were not poisonous, and settled down for the night. It was hard to fall asleep. Being alone left her mind free to wander, and it inevitably wandered to the previous night. She questioned her decisions, she thought about if it was fate or not, if all this was meant to happen.

Leaning back against the huge tree, she found a comfortable place to rest her head and gazed into the shadows of the pools of water the roots submerged themselves in. She remembered what Hue had said, that he reached enlightenment beneath the tree, and Katara wistfully glanced up at the branches above her, wishing some enlightenment might come her way.

…

…

…

…

"I can't believe it! They could be anywhere by now!!" Toph pressed her hands and feet to the riverbank, hoping some stray vibration would betray where the two runaway girls had gone. The earth however, remained relatively still, and betrayed nothing about the ex princess.

"If I may make a suggestion, Lady Bei Fong?" one of the guards cut in, "The princess has lost us, we should put up the posters for her I doubt it will take more than a few hours to have every bounty hunter in the Fire Nation looking for her."

Toph thought about it, it wasn't a bad idea, but she didn't want to give anything so drastic the go ahead without Aang's or Zuko's acknowledgement.

"Set up a signal flare!" another man said, Toph didn't recognize his voice, "That's the Avatar with his bison to the south east,"

The men scrambled back and forth, and stuck something into the ground, a second later Toph smelled smoke and heard a high pitched noise that reminded her of the fireworks she had heard in the north, but it was not followed by an explosion.

The men quieted, and she waited, after several long moments, she could smell Appa in the air. Aang landed on the ground, and she could sense by the way he was walking, sort of crookedly and lightly, that something was wrong.

The squad of men greeted him and said that he looked 'pale' whatever that looked like, but Toph cut to the chase.

"What did you learn at the asylum?"

Aang shifted back and forth, his heart rate jumping, "Nothing useful, I learned just how close I was to getting dismembered."

Toph pointed at the river, "Her trail ends here. They must have rode down or up the river a ways, I've had them comb the beach, but these trackers say they can't find her trail."

". . . and what have you been doing?" She could hear the humor in Aang's voice, he was definitely shaken, trying to cover it with a joke.

"Supervising." Toph crossed her arms, "You don't sound so good Twinkle Toes. You should sleep some before you have another meltdown."

She heard Aang sigh loudly, "I'm fine, totally fine."

"Avatar Aang, I was just suggesting we put out the posters, get a few bounty hunters on the job before the end of the day, if the purse is big enough, we could get every bounty hunter in the Fire Nation looking for her."

Aang shifted again, his pulse changing, indicating more things he hadn't shared with her. Toph made a note to grill him later when he was the least emotionally resistant.

"That sounds . . . public, and . . . expensive."

"It has to be done Aang, and fast." Toph punched him in the arm . . . gently . . .ish.

Aang winced and stepped away, closer to Appa, and she heard Momo jump onto his shoulder and chatter at her.

"If her supporters find her, they'll harbor her," one of the palace guards said, "and we'll never see her again, they'll hide her somewhere and then we wont hear from her for several years, then we'll find Zuko and his children murdered in their beds."

"Okay, okay, Put up the posters, put everyone on red alert to be careful, say the princess is mentally unstable, that she needs special care."

The men began shuffling off, chatting amongst themselves and mounting their komodo rhinoceroses. Toph followed, after she had gotten past the first shock of being off the ground, she had found the ride rather pleasant. The beasts were fast, but lumbering and smooth, each step making quite a satisfying crunching noise, and best of all, they were equipped with so much armor that Toph had no trouble metal bending and seeing her surroundings.

"You don't want to ride with me and Appa?" Aang sounded hurt to her, and she pressed her lips together, thinking.

"Thanks but no, I would rather ride Crusher." Even the komodo rhinoceros's name rocked.

"You want me to come?"

Toph read between the lines and figured he wanted to talk to her about something in private. She shrugged, earth bending a ledge so she could hop onto the beast's saddle, "Sure, why not, but I'm steering."

"But you're blind!" Aang protested, it didn't stop him from taking an air bending leap up onto the animal, landing neatly behind her.

"It doesn't matter."

It didn't either, she took the great beast over every old log or bramble bush she could sense, and true to it's name, the creature simply crushed everything flat with it's bony feet while it walked right over it.

"Now this is the life!" Toph grinned, steering the horns to a sapling.

"Toph, maybe you should just let him have his head and go-" There was a crunch, "Never mind."

"So what did you want to talk about?" she oriented on a pile of rocks, and Crusher smashed through them, showering them with dirt and pebbles as he . . . she . . . it, tossed it's head.

"What?" Aang brushed off his cloths, then his arms around her tightened and he flinched. They bumped over something, Toph hadn't even been watching, so she had no clue what it was.

"You know, you wanted to ride with me, did you want to talk about something?" She pulled the reigns and oriented the creature on a huge tree. After several seconds where the beast didn't slow down, Aang grabbed the reign and steered the beast off the collision course for the tree.

"Maybe you should just let him have his head." The air bender repeated, boy-code for, 'pay attention to me because I want to be more interesting than smashing things' Toph suspected.

"Ok ok," she loosened her grip and the beast altered it's course, following the rest of it's herd.

"It was a pretty bad murder scene." Aang put his forehead down on her shoulder, trying to block out the memory,"I wonder if Azula would have done it to Katara . . ."

"Probably, and Zuko too, she tried to kill him on several occasions."

Aang stiffened and tightened his grip.

_Oh right, _Toph thought, _comforting._

"We all know Sparky and Sugar Queen, if either of them is going to go down . . ."

"Yea, they'd take Azula with them." Drop in heart rate, relaxing muscles. Good sign.

Toph felt something wet on her neck. Tears. Bad sign.

"Oh come on Twinkle Toes, what is it?!" Toph asked, patting his hands where they clasped her waist.

"Nothing." Aang sulked, but didn't jump ship. Instead he pressed his cheek into the back of her shoulder and watched the scenery.

_Ugh . . . _Toph kicked herself, she really didn't enjoy upsetting him, it just so happened that she was really good at it. They rode in silence until they got back to the city, Aang was pleased to see wanted posters were already going up, though some had been torn, apparently Azula had many supporters that did not want to see her caught.

When they rode into the palace courtyard, Aang helicopter himself up to the balcony of his room, Azula's old one, and began feeling along the panels of the wall. He wanted to know what she had come to his room looking for, and if she was likely to come back. He could tell the wall was hollow, but he couldn't find the mechanism to open it.

His fingers darted back and forth, knocking, pressing, shifting, and still nothing.

"Come on!" Toph said from the doorway, "Just bust through it!!" a slam of her wrist and suddenly the wall was in ruins.

"Toph! This is Zuko's house!" Aang scolded, but picked his way across the splintered wood and into the secret room.

It was mostly empty, it had a few pairs of shoes, a change of cloths, and weapons on the walls, some of the things were missing. It also had a hallway that led off into darkness.

"Well?" he heard Toph over his shoulder, "What's in there?"

…

…

…

Zuko was definitely regretting taking up a few of the boys in an offer to go jogging. His lungs burned, and he was sure he had sweat out at least a gallon of fluids. He was also the last one in the pack which was humiliating. Rao, one of the brighter boys who had seemed to notice the Fire Lord's self consciousness paced him.

He also would not stop talking.

"-'ut that would mean that y'all would have to wear something else underneath it in the summer. Don' sound like a very good plan t' me, goin commando is the way to go-"

Zuko watched the boy, whose cheeks were not even starting to flush with exertion. He figured the teen must be some sort of half Avatar that had mastered both air and water, and was using a new technique of air bending that allowed him to breath in and talk out at the same time.

It was the most plausible explanation.

He prayed to Agni that he would find some hidden strength so he could speed up and Rao would stop talking, but the mud was like a suction cup, and his stamina had depleted over the past months.

"Y'all should keep up Fire Lord!!" one of them called back, "Can't outrun a scorpion bat with that pace!"

"There is no such thing as a scorpion bat, you liar!" His buddy shot back.

"Ugh, ignore them spoilsports, theys is jealous of yer . . . yer sudden importance," Rao told him, "Y'all're lucky, yer uncle came by a time ago! Was' he the one who told y'all ta visit?"

"He what?" Zuko asked between pants.

"Yea, said 'e was opening a tea shop in Ba Sing Se, and wanted to get some real exotical things ta serve."

Zuko slowed to a walk, his uncle had traveled a round a bit, soul searching after Lu Ten's death, but had never mentioned anything about a swamp. "How long did he stay?"

Rao shrugged, "A couple 'o days I think, y'all should ask some of the older priestesses . . . So as I was sayin' I's never worn 'un in my life, so constrictin 'in all, y'all need to embrace-"

"So about my uncle, which priestesses exactly?" Zuko changed the subject back.

"Hahaha! Which priestesses he is askn! The alpha ones o'corse, they's the most forward! Sing 'n Har 'n Nel got quite cosy with 'm. Yer Uncle was a time and a half I 'erd, they was makin 'dragon of the west' jokes for weeks after!!"

"Dragon of the West Jokes?!" Zuko liked this less and less, his uncle was a terrible flirt, and the women here were terribly open minded.

"Yea, liiike," Rao frowned, thinking, which apparently, was a bit difficult for him, "Umm, like, 'Man, that Dragon 'o the West can join MY white lotus any day'"

"Alright, Alright! I'm good to jog again!" Zuko snuffed out the mental picture.

"Wait! Ah thou' 'o anothr 'un!" Rao followed the retreating Fire Lord, "'Y'all know why they say the Dragon of the West has a forked tongue?'"

Agni had answered his prayers, and Zuko found the inner strength to book it out of there, leaving Rao behind before he could get to the punch line.

…

…

…

Leaning out his window, the Fire Lord watched the moon rise. Katara had not come back, and it was approaching Midnight. He didn't want to admit to himself that he was waiting up for her, but sleep was refusing to come.

Two tattooless girls walked by carrying baskets and clippers, the women tended to harvest their herbs at midnight, claming an increase in potency. It made Zuko think about his uncle, and he wondered if they had taken him reaping at midnight. That made him shudder and wonder what else they had shown him at midnight, and he ran his fingers through his hair, tucking it behind his ears.

It flopped right back out.

The girls had noticed him by then and called and waved, trying to be both respectful and coquettish at the same time, asking him if he was lonely and would like 'company'. Zuko declined politely, he had never felt so objectified in his life as he did in the swamp, like he was just a piece of hot man meat, and had no intelligence or personality.

He sat down on the bed and fumed.

He missed Katara, the girls didn't bother him when she was around.

The thought brought him back full circle, and he started worrying about her again. He stood and padded over to the mat to her room, he opened it and leaned in, glancing at her things. A mirror, a jar of kelp lotion, her brush, her soaps, her dagger, and her empty water skin sat on her table. Her saddle bags full of cloths sat open on her trunk, she had obviously not touched them in days. The swamp was just too hot.

He picked up her mirror and leaned back, it wasn't honorable to go into a girl's room without her permission, no matter how much she seemed to barge into his, but she wouldn't mind him borrowing her mirror. He lay down on his mattress again, and looked at his scar, he touched a finger to it, running it along the skin of his cheek. Then he touched the reflection of it on the mirror and frowned.

Using his right hand, he covered it and smiled at his reflection, studying it. He combed his bangs over his face with his fingers, then tilted his head so the good side of his face was prominent.

He grimaced.

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…

Katara figured she had slept for about four hours when one of those screaming birds had woken her up. It was surprisingly breezy up on the roots, and she started to shiver, and wrapped one of the leaves she was laying on around her shoulders. It didn't help.

Her stomach growled. She was done. Whatever Vel had wanted her to see or understand, she would pass, there was a soft, animal free (except for Zuko) bed waiting for her at the temple.

She stood and rubbed her neck, it had stiffened as she slept, and scrambled off the root, landing knee deep in murky swamp water. A catfish gator that had been sleeping nearby hissed at her, annoyed she had woken it.

Wading to the shore was more difficult than it looked. Seaweed coiled around her ankles, mud sucked at her feet, and the swamp bed was horribly uneven. She stepped on something and it writhed. She cursed and froze a chunk of the surface, scrambling up onto it. A mammoth swamp python raised it's head out of the water and hissed, it's two sets of fangs lengthening, it's gills closing. She sat very still, it would strike much, much, MUCH faster than she could bend, of that she was sure.

It struck.

Screaming, Katara bent the water into a torrent that hit the snake's face. It hissed and made a strange clacking noise and retreated.

Breathing slowly, she pulled up her loincloth to look at her thigh better. Four small puncture wounds, oozing green slime decorated her right quad. She bent some water onto it, probing the wound and sucked in her breath. It felt like she had pressed a hot poker to her leg.

She began to feel woozy and cursed the spirits again, the animal must have been venomous. Unfortunately while water was great at straightening chi or healing wounds and burns, it was not particularly good at burning off poison. She bent her torso, but the wound was too far up her leg to reach it with her mouth, and she guessed that there was too much venom to suck out anyways.

Using her bending, she steered the chunk of ice to the shore and scrambled off, trying to remember what she knew about snake bites. Yugoda had not covered them in her healing classes as they were not particularly numerous in the North Pole.

She reached out into her blood, trying to bend it back to the wound, but it was difficult, the moon was not full, and her power spike had faded hours earlier. She tried for the venom instead, going for the fluid, but she was getting more and more dizzy, her vision blurring, a flick of her wrist sent a small glop of poison out of her system and onto the mud.

Three more wounds to go.

Her head started to throb. She began unlacing her top and pulled it off, wrapping it around her leg a few inches above the punctures and tied it.

Something was dripping out of her nose, and she wiped it off onto the back of her hand. Blood. She pinched her nose, and leaned her head back, fear clutching her chest.

"HEEEEY!!" She screamed, noticing blood spraying from her lips as she screamed, "HEEELP!! ANYONE OUT THERE!!"

_Some medicine woman I am . . ._ she thought wryly.

Her lower abdomen spasmed in pain, and she felt more blood trickle down the inside of her leg. She screamed again, hauling herself to her feet and limping across the moss. Katara tripped over one of the vines she had been stepping through, and fell on her stomach into the mud. Cursing the spirits, she hauled herself up again, then held her breath, she could have sworn she heard someone.

She sneezed, blood was leaking down her face and dripping onto her chest, and the swamp blurred in front of her eyes. She tripped again, her elbow hit something hard and she whined.

"Oi!! Someone screamin' round 'ere?"

Katara recognized Hue's voice and she called out to him. He came around the corner, a mass of vines, and discarded them to jog over to her. He knelt and examined her leg, bending some water from the swamp and touching it to her wound, where it began to glow. She covered herself, embarrassed, though didn't have enough spare blood to blush.

"Katara! What're y'all doin out here so late?! Y'all got yerself a nasty python bite there." He was bending, the vines started winding themselves around her, "Just relax, the venom ain't fatal, it attacks yer mucus membranes, 'ts tha bleedin ta death that kills ya."

She hacked up another mouthful of blood, letting the older water bender lift her.

"Y'all try to keep your heart even, the less the stuff circulates, the less y'all'll bleed."

The ride back to the swamp was a blur of pain, Hue kept asking her stupid questions, and she figured out that it was to keep her conscious. She answered dutifully, watching the green and black blur by.

"Why were y'all out there in the first place?"

"Vel told me to wait by the tree for a vision."

That seemed to annoy him, "N how did y'all get bitten by a python."

"I stepped on it . . ."

He took her to the cells of the High Priestesses, yelling for specific women and rapping on doors. Katara sank down to the floor, leaning against the wall, her eyes feeling heavy. She felt sick, blood was pooling around her on the silver clay floor.

Bare feet were running down the hallway, people were barking orders, somebody was opening her mouth, another person spread her legs.

"How long has it been?"

"Looks like almost an hour, not the best, but not as bad as it could be."

Someone was lifting her and carrying her.

She must have drifted out of consciousness, because the next thing she knew she was in her bed, and someone was propping her up and forcing her to sip some sort of vile substance. Fae was working on her leg, the blue glow of her water the only light in the room.

"Y'all shouldn't walk around the swamp at night!" Fae scolded as she worked, "Y'all are lucky it was a mammoth swamp python and not a cocklebur mud rat!"

Katara felt her face, there was still blood trickling down it, it was congealing on her chin and chest, and in her hair, "What-"

"It's venom is full of anticoagulants, you're lucky no old wounds opened up."

Someone started yelling outside the door.

Zuko.

"Are y'all comfortable?"

Katara nodded.

"Did y'all see anything spendin' the night under the bangrove tree?"

Katara shook her head.

"Pity . . ." Fae turned to her assistant, "Get the bandages and salve."

The woman scrambled to follow, and handed the High Priestess a nutshell of past that the woman gloped onto the puncture wounds.

Katara screamed.

There was a thump outside the room and Zuko burst in, "What are you doing to her?!" He took one look at Katara and staggered back against the wall, his eyes wide.

The paste was burning, and her muscles twitched, she tried to yank her leg away. Fae Held it still, smearing the stuff over another puncture. Katara hauled, herself to a sitting position.

"Please calm down Fire Lord," Fae didn't even look up, Katara grabbed at the old woman's wrists, but her assistant pushed her back into the mattress.

"What happened? What's wrong with her." Zuko seemed to rally and crossed the room, peering over the woman's shoulder.

"Y'all want to make yourself useful, y'all can hold her down." The assistant said irritated over her shoulder, dodging a clawing hand from the water bender.

Zuko grabbed her wrists, she knew it was him, and pressed them into the mattress. "Hold still 'Tara."

Katara glared at the red and white blur that was his face, but bit her lip and tried to hold still. It was not easy. It hurt. It HURT. Her skin felt like it was blistering, Fae might as well have dripped boiling oil onto her.

"Oi!" the Assistant wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, "'o course she gets as docile as a pussy catgaitor when y'all hold her down." She sounded bitter.

Fae began wrapping her leg with bandages and Katara hollered, she dug her nails into the fire bender's arms and Zuko winced, but didn't let go. She didn't either.

"Done." Fae stood, "Give her another drink of the painkiller, I don't think it was strong enough."

The assistant nodded and opened Katara's mouth, forcing her to swallow more of the disgusting liquid from the shell. However bad it tasted, the pain in her leg indeed subsided, she relaxed, closing her eyes. Suddenly she was exhausted.

"Here Fire Lord, help me with this . . . be too . . . can wait . . ."

The directions that the witch doctor was giving him faded out as she drifted again into black unconsciousness.

…

…

…

She didn't know how long she was out, but it was still dark out when she came too, Zuko was straddling the chair his head cradled in his arms on the table. She was relieved that the blurriness had left her vision. She pulled the covers up around her, even though there were several extra, she was freezing, probably since she had lost so much blood her circulation was suffering.

"Katara!!" Zuko scrambled over and kneeled on the floor next to her, "Thank the spirits, you've been out for two days."

"Two days?" There was a new dark circle under his eye, and his face was creased with worry. She sat up, and her leg throbbed with protest. She lay back. He picked up a water skin from the floor and helped her take a drink.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, I'm just a little cold . . ." She closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair, rallying, feeling her face for blood, relaxing upon finding there was none. Her top was still gone though, and she tried to discreetly wrap the covers more tightly over her torso.

Zuko put the water down and carefully climbed into bed, She felt him shift and pull her under the sheet and up against his chest, and squeaked in surprise as his positively scorching chest touched her back. He leaned against her and pressed her down into the mattress, so his body was half on top of hers. He was careful not to touch her leg.

"Tell me if I make you too hot."

"Er, You've made me hot . . ."

"I haven't even started fire bending yet."

"Oh right, fire bending . . ."

She felt the air around her heat, the mattress heat, his skin against her heat, she shivered violently once as the heat sunk in, than again for entirely different reasons. His fingers laced with hers and he pulled her more snugly against his chest. She traced the veins along his arm with her fingertip as he nuzzled his lips against the base of her neck.

"You missed it, Hue and that woman Vel got into a huge fight, it went to blows. He said she was reckless to try something so advanced, and that you were not a trained priestess, and you didn't know the landscape and dangers of the swamp."

"Then what?" Katara touched the bandages on her leg and winced as fresh pain throbbed there.

"She said that if the swamp chose to enlighten him, then it might have done the same for you. She was mad at him for treating you like a little girl. What happened out there?"

It was so warm against him, Katara started nodded her eyes closing, "Nothing, nothing happened, I was rejected . . ."

"They said that once the poison works it's way out of your system they'll be able to patch up your puncture wounds better. They said such a heavy dose of the venom will throw off your cycle, apparently they use that stuff as birth control."

Katara nodded, remembering it was in the stuff that Yeo had given her to drink. She had wanted to get her hands on some of that stuff to take with her, but not like this.

Zuko's arm around her tightened, some of the weight on her eased up, he was talking again, but Katara didn't pay attention.

…

…

"Soooookkaaaaaa." Ty Lee somersaulted in front of him, "Sokka, You got a letter from the Avatar!!"

Sokka dropped his sword in surprise, "Don't DO that Ty Lee!!" He picked up his sword and put it back into his sheath lovingly. It had taken him the better part of a month to find it, and then had to repair it since parts of the hilt had snapped off.

He had never found his boomerang.

"What's it say?" Suki asked, peering over her shoulder as Ty Lee handed it to him.

Sokka read it over once, and the two girls watched his olive skin go pale.

"What?!" Suki pulled it from him and read it herself.

"Oh no," Ty Lee frowned, "looks like bad news!"

"Aang wrote that Azula escaped, and that they haven't been able to recapture her." Suki read, "He wants us to go to the swamp and get Katara and Zuko right away, and then all of us head to the Fire Nation, immediately."

"What? Me too?" Ty Lee was surprised.

"Well, it's hard to read, he scrawled it really fast, but it looks like he wants the whole gang on it." Suki squinted at the paper, "Anyways, you're Azula's best friend, I'm deciding right here and now you're coming too."

"You'd probably be really helpful in her capture." Sokka put in.

Ty Lee chewed on her lip, looking indecisive, trying to decide whether her loyalty lay with her new friends or her old one.

"Is there any reason why you shouldn't come, Ty Lee?"

"No, captain, I'll go and start to pack." The acrobat bowed her head and took off towards the dorms.

"Tell Kisa I want to speak with her, I am going to leave her in charge again!" Suki called after her.

"Does it say anything about travel arrangements?" Sokka asked, taking the letter back.

"Nope." Suki tapped her finger with her lips, "We'll have to take a ship. Write Aang a message back that were on our way, but if he sends an airship to meet us at the swamp we could shave day off."

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**Okay, so Kuro-TheNinethSon, on DA, (Not sure their SN here) made me the most awesome fan art of the swamp dancing!! Warning: You may wish to wait a minute or two after reading and before clicking to avoid Zutara induced seizures and mouth foaming.**

**http : / / kuro-theninthson dot deviantart dot com / art / Zutara-Under-the-moon-97359326**

**Or for those of you who are lazy, (or very judicious about unnecessary movement) there is a clickable link in my profile.**

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**So, here is lean mean fourteen, and not the mediocre Stephanie Plum novel. I hope you like! Sorry about the up and down, I forgot to put in a few sections I wanted to, then while I was working decided I just hated everything and revamped it all.**

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**Current distractions:**

**Classes, (I am looking forward to being in a critique where someone isn't ragged on so much they cry)**

**A Matter of Honor (Seriously, it rocks harder than a rocking chair in a mosh pit)**

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**Thanks for reading, reviewing, and thanks to those of you who check out Kuro's DA page!**


	15. Chapter 15: The Dungeon

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: M

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend..

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 15: The Dungeon  
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Jun sat at her chair, sipping her fire whiskey. The Earth Kingdom men who were drinking and gambling knew better than to bother her. Nobody bothered her unless they wanted to hire her, or wanted a broken nose.

She took another shot, then pulled out her dagger and used it to clean under her nails. Behind her two idiots had started punching each other, yelling about their sister and lover. Jun wasn't sure if the man's sister was his lover, or the other man loved his sister, either way they were making an unpleasant scene just when she wanted to return to the bar and buy another shot. She was still aggravatingly sober.

A red cloaked figure slipped into the seat opposite her, Jun could tell it was a woman by her delicately polished nails, even though a hood obscured the woman's face.

"Bounty Hunter Jun?"

"Who is asking?" She replied curtly.

The woman pulled a lady slipper flower out of her sleeve and placed it on the table between them, "We are."

"What is it? I am informed of the latest comings and goings." June snapped, irritated that the lady was standing between her and her liquor.

"This is a commission." The woman replied, "I am hiring you, I want you to lead me to someone."

"Mm" Jun laced her fingers, "This wouldn't have anything to do with the escaped Fire Nation Princess would it?"

The figure shrunk down in the seat as a glass shattered against the wall of their table, "We're prepared to offer any hunter double the Fire Lord's bounty for her."

"You have my attention." Jun leaned closer, "Double the bounty, huh? I bet that's cause you want her alive?"

"And unharmed." The woman agreed, shaking the glass off her cloak.

"And to where shall I deliver her? You're not exactly easy to get in touch with, Fire Lady." It was her, Jun would wager a million coin on it.

The woman cringed, then tugged the cloak further over her face, "I'm coming with you. I'm to make sure there are no lose ends."

"You're serious? What did they say? They cannot expect you to kill your own daughter."

"I am not at liberty to discuss that, My orders are confidential, and you are not of a high enough rank to demand them."

Jun scowled, "It's my business if you're hiring me, I'm putting my life in danger for your mission." It was not true, Jun would high tail it out of there if there was any threat of her own personal danger. Bandits, runaways, and murders were one thing, Azula was another. Azula was utterly insane, Jun had heard whisperings through the network of the women of the order as well as her fellow bounty hunters.

"You have vowed to risk your life in service to the Order already, your argument has no legs to stand on." The woman scooted over on her seat as a huge man was flung against the table, Jun stomped hard on his groin, using the heel of her boot and the man howled and fell to the floor.

Jun rolled her eyes, pledging to the order had been the only way to get where she wanted to be in the world. She had wanted to learn to ride, and since she was not born a bender, to fight with weapons, to hunt, and to frighten those around her. Sometimes it felt as though she had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire, the Order was much stricter.

"I'll need something from the person to track them with, something that has their smell on it." She informed the woman, running her finger along the rim of her shot glass.

The Fire Lady reached into her cloak and pulled out a doll, it's head and right leg were torn almost all the way off, both it's arms were missing, it's torso had a huge tear through it as though it had been impaled, and it's hair was almost all shorn off. Someone had dripped red ink all over it's face and limbs, making it appear as though it was dripping blood from multiple wounds. She picked it up for a better look, and the head flopped sickeningly to the side.

"Shit, your daughter was crazy from when she was a kid!" Jun crinkled her nose in disgust.

"Careful!" The woman stood up as if to snatch it back, but Jun yanked it out of her reach. Clearly it had a lot of sentimental value to the woman, and she wondered if there was any of the princess's scent left on the damn thing.

"We have a deal, but I have a few more demands than just double the bounty." Jun grinned, "There is someone I want to apprentice with, they've continually rejected me because of my profession, you and your golden tongue are going to make it happen."

"Agreed." The woman held out her hand and they shook on it.

…

…

…

"That's the last of it." One of the deckhands told Suki as they carted up her luggage, "Tell your little friend she is going to miss the boat."

Suki leaned over the railing, "Ty Lee!! Wrap up your goodbyes, the ship is about to cast off!!"

Ty Lee broke off her kiss and called a, "Yes ma'am!" then she turned back to Kisa and the two hugged one more time. She had changed back into fire nation cloths, and she used the heel of her hand to wipe Kisa's makeup off her chin.

The horn blasted.

The acrobat decided to show off and somersaulted backwards, landing neatly on one of the ropes tethering the ship to the shore. Pivoting on her toe, she jumped again, landing on the railing of the ship, and blowing her girlfriend a kiss.

The horn blasted a second time, and the crew began untying the ropes and tossing them to shore.

Ty Lee panted, turning her back on the shore and dropping the smile and letting her face show the strain it had been, "Woah, that was pretty far, I was jarred all the way to my ears sticking that landing."

"How do you DO that?"

Ty Lee looked at Sokka, "Do what? Blow kisses? It's pretty easy, see you put your fingers to your mouth like so-"

"No, I mean jump like that. I've never seen anyone but Aang jump like that, but he is an air bender."

"Oh," Ty Lee thought about it then shrugged, "I've always been good at jumping, the landing part took a little practice, but I was always pretty good at that too."

"But you jumped and flew fiftty feet through the air!" Sokka argued.

"Really? That would be a new record! I've only been able to do forty eight . . . Ah the power of showing off in front of your girlfriend." She smiled waved to Kisa who was shrinking on the shoreline.

Kisa waved back with both hands.

"Normal people cant jump that far." Sokka persisted, squinting an eye at her and pondering.

"I bet you could too if you practiced!" she encouraged clasping her hands together and bouncing, "You want me to teach you? That would be so much fun!!"

The bouncing had caught the attention of several crew members who had stopped their coiling to watch the show. Ty Lee did not seem to notice, or if she did, she ignored it.

"No no," Sokka cursed as his face started to flush, "I'm good, I like the way I jump, nice and easy, keep it simple."

"Okay." Ty Lee grinned, "Then I am going to go check out my cabin!" she bounced off.

The crew of men began to snicker and whisper to one another, and Suki had the feeling that the deck outside Ty Lee's window and door would always be thoroughly swabbed.

"So you noticed too?" Suki leaned against the railing, peering to make sure the brunette was out of earshot.

"Yea." Sokka nodded, "Yours are nicer." He shot in quickly.

"I meant her jumping," Suki was amused, she was never much of the jealous type as girls had been in and out of beds for years on Kyoshi, "She has been trying to teach the younger girls to be as flexible and acrobatic, she has put them through the exact same drills that she did to learn how to do them, and still, most of them cant get past a back flip on level ground, even without heavy armor."

Sokka frowned putting two and two together, finally, "You don't think . . ."

"I don't know, Aang has never said anything, and I've never seen her sneeze and fly into the air, or get angry and make the wind blow."

"Never seen her get angry, period."

"But just hypothetically, what if she was, what if there are descendants of the nomads scattered across the four nations?" Suki toyed with the hem of her robes, "I mean, I know that the fire nation was very very thorough through the years, but . . . I can't help but think that . . . some of them must have survived."

"We should figure it out first, I mean, it would be cruel to tell Aang our theory unless we had some sort of proof that there were dormant air benders throughout the four nations."

"I'm going to go ask her about her family." Suki pushed away from the rail and started for the cabins.

"See if you can make her sneeze while you're at it!" Sokka called after her.

…

…

…

Mai watched her friend pick through the ruins of the house. Most of it still stood, since it was made out of stone, but much of the furniture and décor had been either stolen or destroyed. Through the trees they had a good view of the capital, and Mai guessed they were no more than fifteen miles from the palace. Probably less.

"Shouldn't we find somewhere on a different Island to lay low for a while?" The goth asked as Azula was pulling an old cloth out from under a pile of wood that might have once been a table.

"No." The princess retorted, "We'll be fine as long as we don't make too much noise or burn any fires."

"Whatever." Mai found an old chair and sat down, putting her elbow on the armrest, and her chin in her palm.

She had not expected the princess to be so unstable, or a murderess. As far as she knew, Azula had never killed anyone, though both her and Ty Lee had always secretly assumed that she had. Mai couldn't call her on it though, she had taken out a few Earth Kingdom men herself with her daggers.

It was impractical to pin people to things by their cloths after all, but killing was still a last resort for her. Not a rare psychological treat.

"Shut up! I can do what I want!"

Mai snapped back to attention, thinking that the princess was talking to her, but the girl's eyes were focused across the trashed room at an empty chair.

"I didn't say anything." Mai remarked, and watched as Azula started, as though she had forgotten that the goth was there.

"Right." Azula gathered herself, "Go untack the mongoose dragons Mai."

"I don't feel like it."

"DO IT MAI!!" Azula's hands balled into fists, and she spun on her friend.

Mai rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, but got up and glided across the floor, and out into the courtyard where the creatures were waiting. One had caught a squirrel and was tearing at it happily. Mai crinkled her nose in disgust.

Mai hated animals.

Azula watched her go, wringing her hands together anxiously.

"You should be nicer to her, she could kill you in your sleep." Ursa remarked.

"Leave me alone, you don't exist!" Azula started to send a fire blast at the hallucination, but then thought better of it, she didn't want the whole building crumbling inward.

Instead she ignored it, and began poking around the house. She managed to locate two old mattresses, and cleaned them off, she accomplished this by flipping them on their sides and kicking them till all the dust came loose.

Azula sneezed. Twice.

"You forgot to open the window,"

"I know!!" Azula crossed the chamber and hauled the wooden shutters open, waving her hands in an attempt to clear the air. It didn't help

"Ugh!" She growled in frustration, and thought about making Mai do it, but the goth already seemed to be annoyed about doing menial labor, and forcing her to do more might push her over the edge. Azula really didn't want to be killed in her sleep.

Instead, she poked around for some sheets, though most had been eaten away so much by bugs or . . . something, Azula didn't know what ate fabric, that they were unusable. Finding her way back to the parlor, she opened the bag she had taken from her room. The Avatar's room.

Not much, all the cloths that were in the secret room did not fit her anymore. They were too big across since she had lost weight, and too short up and down since she had grown. Luckily, her boots fit, and she pulled them on along with the best fitting pair of leggings and a chest wrap.

She tossed the hospital gown aside, she would have use for it later, it was, after all, far more terrifying than anything else, drenched with blood and singed as it was. A physical testament to what she was capable of when provoked.

"I'm done with the beasts." Mai stuck her head into the room, "What do we do now?"

"We wait."

"Sounds dull."

"Very dull." Azula agreed, Mai wanted attention, and she was in no mood to provide it.

"Ok."

She heard her 'fiancée's' footsteps retreat down the hallway. Azula grinned and settled in to wait for sunset.

…

…

…

Katara came around slowly, there was a bell ringing, but she covered her ears and ignored it. What did make her come around was being alone in her bed, she sat up and surveyed her room, disappointed to see no fire bender in residence.

She stretched and pulled back the blankets, now far too many to be comfortable, and assessed the damage. Her leg was not as swollen as she would have thought, and peeling back the bandages, she saw fresh new skin over the fang holes. It was scarred, but nearly healed, and luckily the marks were so high up, only her future husband would probably ever see them.

She wrapped the blankets around her top, annoyed that it had probably been three days or more, and neither Zuko nor the priestesses had thought to replace her top. Well . . . Zuko at least had probably thought about it and then conciously decided against it.

"Katara! You're awake!" Zuko was pushing through the curtain to his room, and seemed to look surprised. He carried two bowls of something steaming, and a plate of sliced papaya.

"The bell woke me." She explained, slipping her legs over the edge and testing them. Her right leg was very very stiff, but no real pain. She tugged the fabric up and smoothed her thumb over the skin, probing the muscle underneath. It seemed too good to be true. She pulled out her seaweed lotion and began massaging the muscle to loosen it.

"They were coming and going so much." Zuko seemed mesmerized by her hands, "They kept giving you this stuff to drink, I think it kept you knocked out, and changing those weird herbs in the bandages, and they were chanting things and sometimes you would struggle, sometimes you wouldn't . . . do you need help with that? No? Ok, well, you would struggle, and they did some weird water bending on your leg, they had drums and burt this stuff around the room and had you breathe the smoke . . . are you sure you don't need help with that?"

"I'm fine Zuko."

"Then Hue told that woman Vel that it would take years for you to reach the level that she and he are at, and that she should know this, and to stop trying to give you a crash course in swamp philosophy. He has forbidden her from trying anything else like that to get your third eye open."

"Really? He has that kind of authority? I always thought that the swamp was a bit more . . . matriarchal."

"I might have helped him a little."

"I suppose the Fire Lord does carry a little bit of authority, huh?"

"A little bit."

Katara sighed, normally she would scold him for daring to decide what was best for her, but since he came bearing food she would let it slide, maybe mucking about in the swamp alone at night was not really a good idea.

He offered her a bowl and then sat down next to her on the bed, he blew his bangs out of his face before sipping the steaming liquid.

"You haven't really made progress with it have you?" he asked.

"No, not really, I know how to do it in theory, just, not in practice."

Zuko sighed, chewing on his lip, "I don't think we should give it any longer than another week."

Katara nodded in agreement, a week seemed fair, he did need to get back to the Fire Nation. She could always come back on her own to study.

"What happens when we leave the swamp?"

"We'll head back to the Fire Nation via Omashu."

"No I meant, what happens to-"

There was a knock on the door.

Yeo stepped in, she had a skin of something, "Oh good y'all're up!" She said, pleased, "How'r ya doing? Shoot, Yer blood was everywhere, Water Tribe, EVERYWHERE! How do y'all keep so much blood in ya?" She set the skin down and flopped into the empty chair, "Yer leg hurtin ya? It shoulda been better by now."

"It's feeling better," Katara touched it gingerly, "It's still a bit stiff though, I'll need to do some stretching."

"Y'all can come to afternoon classes," Yeo crossed her legs, "Do some drills, make sure everythin is the way it's s'posed ta be."

"Maybe, I'll see if I'm up to it." Katara didn't like the sound of being on her leg so fast, but it did seem to be healed all the way.

Another bell rang.

"Aw, damn, I'm late fer meditation," she sighed, "Everyone is gon give me the evil eye when I come in. Y'all rest ok Water Tribe? No vigorous activity for a few hours." She winked before letting the curtain fall and trotting off down the hallway.

Katara blushed, and then snapped to cover her embarrassment, "Zuko, where did these swamp women put my top?!"

Zuko shrugged, suddenly very interested in his bowl.

…

…

…

When Suko got to Ty Lee's room, two of the crew were eagerly helping her rearrange her furniture.

"Oh, the energy flows through the room so much better now, oh, maybe just a little more to the left . . . yes! That's PERFECT!!" Ty Lee grinned at them from where she stood in the middle of the room.

Suki rolled her eyes, the Kyoshi had always been a ladies man . . . or a gentlemen's lady. Or an anyone's anyone. Even out of a bikini.

" . . . Yes, this room is so feng shui, maybe that chest a little more to the right-"

"Ty Lee, I would like a word with you." Suki stepped fully into the room, and the two man glared at her as they dragged their heels out of the acrobat's cabin.

The acrobat nodded and straightened, ready to take an order.

"No no, not like that, as . . . gal pals." Suki sat down on one of the chairs and motioned for Ty Lee to do the same.

"Okay," Ty Lee grinned and flopped down on the floor, going into a scorpion asana.

"So . . ." Suki began casually, "Where is your family originally from?"

"The Fire Nation." Ty Lee squinted her eyes suspiciously at her captain, not sure what game the girl was playing at.

"No, I mean, what part of the Fire Nation?"

"Well, until my grandfather died, our family governed parts of the northern chain of islands, since then Azulon and Ozai had us moving from place to place, where we were needed for the war effort." Ty Lee wiggled her toes where they rested on her head.

"So, how long have you been so flexible?"

"Umm," Ty Lee tried to smile, but Suki saw her glance longingly at the door, entertaining the idea of bolting, "I've always been flexible."

"Like, since you were born?"

"Captain, I'm dating your sister." Ty Lee seemed taken aback, but not insulted, "Did Sokka put you up to this?"

"Er . . . not really," Sokka didnt exactly put her up to it.

"Look, I'm flattered, really flattered, and I would accept, I mean, you're hot, I'm hot, and Sokka is really hot, but I am taken right now, and I am actually a little surprised that you would proposition me, I didn't think you were that kind of sister."

Suki choked, "What? No! I am not . . . That's not . . ."

Ty Lee dropped the pose, "Then what's going on captain? Is this some big sister quiz I have to pass before I can date your little sister?"

Suki shook her head, "No no! I just thought, you know, if you were going to be part of the family, we should know something about you!"

"You're lying, your throat chakra is muddying." Ty Lee accused.

Suki kicked herself, it was like talking to Toph all over again, only there was more giggles and less ankles behind ears.

"Ok, well, good chat, we'll have to do it again sometime." Suki stood and made for the door, making a mental note to put Kisa on reconnaissance. She was just not up to the challenge that was Ty Lee.

Sokka was waiting for her down the hall and followed her like a puppy when she brushed past, "Well? Well? What did she say?"

"She said her family is from the northern islands, right around where any refugees from the western air temple would wash ashore."

"And?" Sokka made a keep it coming gesture, eager to hear more gossip.

"And that's it." Suki looked a little sheepish.

"That's all you got out of her?" Sokka stared, in exaggerated disbelief.

"Well, she is all suspicious of me because I am her Captain!" Suki sulked, "She thought I was hitting on her or something."

"Did she?" Sokka seemed to unfocus, and Suki guessed his mind had conjured some sort of threesome fantasy. She elbowed him.

"So maybe we'll just wait and I can ask Kisa to find out. Or Katara, when we pick her up, she is good at girl talk."

Sokka shrugged, "She doesn't really have any 'girl friends' unless you count Aang and Toph, which I don't."

"Sokka!" Suki scolded, "What am I then?!"

"Oh right!" Sokka grinned awkwardly, scratching the back of his head, "You're a girl too huh?"

Suki kissed him, then opened the door to her cabin, smiling coquettishly, "You better hope so."

…

…

…

The moss was soft and comfortable, and Katara enjoyed the cool breeze that was blowing through the bangrove's branches. Her stiff leg was extended out in front of her, and she watched the girl's move in the strange water bending dance that they did. It was very seductive, the way their arms moved like snakes, trailing ribbons of water through the air, it was a martial art disguised as a dance.

As she watched, she moved into frog pose, her quad complaining, then relaxing after a few minutes. Although a drop of blood occasionally dripped from her nose, the venom seemed to have nullified, whatever the women had done had gotten her back on her feet surprisingly fast. They had warned her it would mess up her cycle, and since apparently the venom was a chief ingredient in their preventative drink, they said she wouldn't be having any problems with an unplanned pregnancy for a few weeks as well.

Yeo and the girls of her friend circle were practicing holding each other pinned from behind and undulating their stomachs and ribcages, using them to raise a pillar of water around their captor and freezing it. Katara wished she had know that technique when Zuko had tied her to a tree nearly a year earlier. She would have showed him.

As If he could read her mind, Zuko leaned over, "I've never seen you do a move like that, your attacks usually involve your arms and legs and breath."

Katara shrugged, "Master Pakku never taught me anything like that . . . he'd think its much too . . . feminine . . ."

One of Yeo's friends must have been in earshot, "Y'all wanna give it a try Water Tribe Virgin?" she teased.

The others nodded, motioning for her to get up and come over.

Katara shook her head, blushing, wishing they wouldn't call her that in front of Zuko, "Maybe tomorrow, I'm still too stiff."

"Oi, we're holdin ya ta that!" one of the other girls called, "Y'all are getting old enough to start learnin something sensual."

Katara had always thought water bending was quite sensual, but Tribe Style truly didn't hold a candle to Swamp Style in the sensuality department. She nodded, a vague nod that she hoped would appease them and went back to her stretching.

After a few minutes, Zuko got dragged off by the young men to practice sparring, and soon several girls flocked over as well to try their hand at facing off with a fire bender. Or at least, Katara gave them the benefit of the doubt that that was what they were up to, she didn't think so though. They usually flocked to the Fire Lord when she wasn't around to 'guard' him.

It amused her, watching him, he had no idea how to deal with the fawning girls, in fact, he actually looked a little taken aback and put off by their advances. She shook her head, imagining what it would be like when news broke that he was single and every noblewoman in the kingdom would be trying to push their prettiest daughter on him. She made a face, her father might be in that crowd. From what he was telling her, the Southern Water Tribe was now about half immigrants from the Northern Water Tribe, and with them they had brought their customs, and Hakoda had to yield.

Katara hated the idea of losing her customs to Arnook's clan.

Sometime while she had been lost in thought, Vel had hobbled over to her and sat down, waiting to begin her lesson. It had turned into more of a practice really, since she understood it in theory. Unfortunately, the minute that the patient started fighting her, she lost any semblance of concentration, and the vision slipped through her fingers.

"Y'all feeling up to the lesson?" The old woman sounded apologetic.

"If we can do it right here I am." Katara replied.

"Yea, alright, show me yer stance."

…

…

…

"Come on, Twinkle Toes, hurry it up." Toph was poking around at the things in Azula's storage room.

Aang was fumbling with a lamp, pouring oil into it and then fire bending a blaze. He held it up and they followed the hallway down into the depths of the castle. Toph led the way, feeling around for any booby traps or loose rock.

After a few minutes, they reached the bottom, and the hallway opened up into large room.

Aang yelped and dropped the lamp, it clattered to the ground and went out.

"What's up with you?!" Toph stamped her foot, getting some good vibrations, "This a torture room?"

Aang picked up the lamp and relit it, his hands shaking again, "Yea, it must be a torture room."

The walls were lined with whips and shackles and gags and knives and needles as well as several things Aang couldn't identify. Some did look suspiciously like man parts though. There was a rack, a few crosses, cages, tables, and a huge chair that had metal straps on it.

Toph was poking around, she had pulled one of the whips off the wall, a cat o nine tails, and was testing the balance.

"Toph! Don't touch anything!!"

She ignored him,"So, who keeps a torture chamber attached to their room?!"

"Azula does." Aang shuddered.

"There's another hallway there." She pointed.

"Should we follow it?"

Toph shrugged, "Sure, why not." She replaced the whip and they both trudged up the hallway, and Aang was much relieved to leave the strange room behind. It led them back up to the castle and to a dead end. Toph knocked on the wood, trying to stir up some vibrations.

"It opens into the Fire Lord's room." She informed him.

"It does?!" Aang looked back down the hall, wondering why one of his best friends would have such a thing. Toph was tapping the wood, her ear pressed against it.

"Definitly Sparky's room." She said again, "Let's cut back around through your room and see if we can open it from the other side."

"No!" Aang argued, "You'll just smash it open! Zuko will be mad!"

Toph rolled her eyes, "I promise I won't smash anything." She started back down to the private dungeon, Aang hung back, he didn't want to go down there again.

"Come on Twinkle Toes, We all know you can be brave when you want to be, so don't pull the cowardly stuff."

He sulked and trudged after her, knowing she would leave him alone in the dead end to walk back alone, and he really would rather not walk through that room alone. Toph was ahead, bathed in darkness, and he would have thought her very brave for walking through in the dark, but she was always in the dark.

"OoooOOooh, Twinkle Toes," She teased, making a ghost noise.

Aang hissed in terror, "Stop it Toph! Stop it!!"

"What? It wasn't me!" Toph said innocently, stepping back into the light.

"It was too! No ghost would call me 'Twinkle Toes'!"

"Then why are you so frightened? What really happened with Azula?" Toph pressed.

"Nothing!"

She crossed her arms and frowned at him, sightlessly for several moments before changing the subject, "What do you think that this is for?" She poked a finger at the chair.

"It looks like it straps people down." Aang told her, then noticed something, a note tacked onto the back.

_Azula_

_Make sure your servant cleans the electric chair more thoroughly next time._

_Ozai_

Aang backed off and turned, power walking for the passage to his room, "Toph, we're leaving right now!!"

"Why-"

"Right now!"

…

…

…

Katara flopped down onto her bed, it was a few hours yet till dinner, and she had bathed, washed her cloths, given a short, demonstrationless lesson on Tribe style bending, and she flopped down, feeling exhausted. She wiped a spare trickle of blood that the impact of the flop had jarred loose off her upper lip, and put her head down on the pillow.

She had napped for about a half an hour when she heard Zuko in his room, fussing with his things. Dragging herself up, to her elbows she raised her voice enough for him to hear through the muffle effect that the reed mats had.

"You have fun sparring?"

"No. Apparently those swamp vines do NOT catch fire very easily." Came his reply.

"They tie you up?" Katara imagined it, it would be fun, she would have to remember that about the vines. Not flammable. Good for tying up fire benders for the fun of it.

"No, just, I've never had to defend against something like that." She could hear his scowl, "You can do that too, cant you?"

Katara nodded, realized he couldn't see her, and then said "Yea, Hue taught me how." _Hue and Hamma_, "Can I come in?" She stood, hearing his grunt of agreement and pushed the mat open, then froze. "Zuko, what are you doing?!"

He was about to hack off his bangs with one of his broad swords.

"I'm sick of these things getting in my eyes."

"Zuko, for the love of Agni, put the sword down, I'll loan you a hair tie." She dug through her bag and produced one, shoving it into his hands.

He took it and began smoothing his hair back into a ponytail. Unfortunately, his bangs weren't long enough to reach. It had taken several creams and metal clips for Lo and Lee to convince it into a bun for any special occasion, and one hair tie, he could tell, was not going to cut it.

"I have a better idea." Katara cut in suddenly, seeing that it wasn't going to work. She scooped up her bag and carried it to her bed, "Come here and sit on the floor."

"I can do my own hair 'Tara." He argued through the threshold.

She crossed her arms impatiently, and he shrugged and sat down in front of her, crossing his legs. Katara ran her fingers through his mane, the strands were thicker than hers or Sokka's and coarser, but still very soft and cooperative. She pulled out her comb and parted it, sectioning it off and started to braid it.

Zuko's sulk was short lived. He had always wondered why little girls would spend their time playing with each other's hair. Now he knew. It felt really really nice. He wasn't quite sure what Katara's fingers were doing, but he was hoping it took a while. She brushed a sensitive spot at the base of his skull, where it met his neck, and it made his shoulders involuntarily shudder.

"Sit still." Katara instructed, giving the lock of hair in her hand a gentle tug for emphasis.

He tried to comply, but he felt himself harden, and the way he was sitting was no longer exactly comfortable. He shifted, crossing his fingers that the water bender would not snap.

She didn't.

She had begun humming to herself as she worked, and Zuko relaxed again, allowing himself to enjoy the sensations, and trying to keep the shuddering to a minimum.

"Alright, put your head in my lap." Katara instructed as she tied off another braid.

"What?"

"Lay on your side on the bed and put your head in my lap." She elaborated, patting her thighs like one would encourage an animal to jump into their lap.

Zuko did so, chewing on his bottom lip as she started braiding again, this was going from erotic to torture, her fingers brushed along his ears, tugging gently on his hair as she worked, and he stifled a small moan of surprise and delight in his throat. His fingers slowly found their way to her calf, and he held it softly, trying to keep himself grounded.

"Okay, we need to flip over so I can reach the other side."

Swallowing hard, the Fire Lord switched places, with her, laying down on his other side. He didn't think she was doing anything fancier, but her hands found their way to his face and neck much more often, and seemed to linger there much longer than necessary.

Katara was enjoying petting the fire bender, letting her fingers stroke along his hairline, his ears, his neck. Her gentle explorations were making him blush, and she noticed the heat in the room had risen a few degrees. It was making her feel hot as well. Zuko's had found it's way to her calf again, though this time he placed it barely an inch below her knee, his fingers curling around the inside of her legs, pressing and releaseing.

He was teasing her back. She quickly tied off his hair and grabbed his chin, pulling his head up for a long kiss, which he surrender to, his mouth eager to taste her again. On hands and knees, he moved closer to her, his fingers trailing up from her knee to the hem of her leather loincloth. Katara cradled his jaw in her hand, and slipped her tongue between his lips, demanding.

The room was definitely getting hotter, she decided, breaking the kiss and pressing the fire bender to the mattress and straddling his hips. Pressing her torso against him, she bent to kiss him again, her hair falling in a curtain around them both. His hands gripped her hips, steadying her as she pressed her mouth to his, the commanding presence of her weight on top of him, her lips against him, was lighting a fire inside him more intense than any he had ever felt.

He wanted to ravish her.

Katara's mouth explored, she rocked back onto her heels and raised one of his hands to her mouth, pressing her tongue into his palm. He gasped softly, encouraging her, and she undid his bracers, pressing her lips to his wrist, her tongue lapping along his vein, so visible in his translucent ivory skin.

He bucked his hips, pressing his length against her, using his free hand holding her in place. She answered with a slight nip, scraping her teeth along the inside of his elbow, and then smiled against him.

He whimpered, and she ran her fingers across the plains of his chest, briefly caressing his scar, then lowering her mouth to kiss it. It was different from the scar on his face, smoother, softer, and she knew it was because of her and her water. He was watching her, so she tongued it slowly, tracing the edges of it, and it reminded her of the first night of their adventure. That night in his uncle's tea shop.

She swallowed her nervousness, at the moment there was no moon or drink to make her bold and sure of herself, and pressed her mouth to his nipple. It tasted like the rest of him, hot, with a hint of sweat and smoke.

He arched his back and his arm flung out, knocking her bag off the bed and it's contents spilled across the floor. Katara ignored it, her mouth pressing against his neck, her fingers looping into his waistband. Something however caught the Fire Lord's eye, and he caught her head, and reached to pick it up. Katara grudgingly raised her head and followed his gaze.

He had picked up Mai's bracelet.

She swore inwardly, watching anger, guilt, and confusion play across his features, he sat up pulling himself out from under her.

"Why do you have this?" He asked, his voice level, betraying nothing.

"I . . . well, it was in the fountain." Katara explained, "I was going to give it back." She added hurriedly.

He frowned.

"I forgot I had it, okay?" She tried again.

He nodded and stood up. She scrambled up after him, ignoring her complaining leg.

"Why are you mad?"

"I'm not mad."

"Then what's the matter?" She stepped between him and his room. She knew what was wrong, he felt guilty, he felt like he was dishonoring the memory of his ex girlfriend or something silly like that.

"I need some time to think."

That sounded silly to her, but she stepped out of the way and let him go. That was the problem with Zuko, he never seemed to know what he wanted. She huffed, throwing herself back down on her bed, she knew what she wanted.

She would be damned if she admitted it before he did though.

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**Ok 15!**

**Done! **

**No real news really.**

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**So I figured out why I didn't really like the canon Avatar pairings, there was no "opposites attract" vibes. There was no "Enemies become friends than something more" vibe. It was like, too neat. Fire Nation with Fire Nation, non-benders with non-benders benders with benders and pretty much everyone hooking up with their first crush . . . so . . . Noah's arc. **

**Well, except Katara with the crush thing, that would either be really hot or really hot for necrophiliacs. Though I don't know, the movie Quills made necrophilia hot, I won't deny it. Anyone who likes the dark Aangzulaness might wanna add it to their netflix queue.**

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**Thanks for reading!! R&R! And check out Kuro's picture if you haven't.**


	16. Chapter 16: The Swamp Skiin Throwdown

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: PG-13

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend..

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 16: The Throw Down**

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Katara banged her things around, moving them this way and that, with no real plan for rearranging them. She did however make sure she made a lot of noise so the fire bender knew that she was spitting mad at him. Finally she tired herself out and her nose had started to bleed from the venom, and she flopped herself down on her trunk miserably. She could SENSE him in the next room, being all quiet and mature. She sighed, deciding she was finished being passive aggressive.

She pulled moisture out of the air and froze a wall of her room and regarded herself in the slightly distorted reflection. She touched her hair, her chest, her thighs, her lips, her self esteem taking a nose dive. Her mind conjured up Mai, and began ticking off the differences between them, unbidden. She could feel the moisture in the air freezing as she thought about the other girl, and she was not surprised when she saw her breath in the air, and frost on the walls. It made her shiver, and she wrapped her blanket over her bare skin, sniffing away the blood in her nose, and concentrated harder on her reflection.

Mai was a classic Fire Nation beauty, straight black hair, slanted eyes, small frame, small chest, pale skin, and tall, so very very tall. Katara stood on her tiptoes and straightened her back. It was no use, she had a good few inches on Aang, Ty Lee, and Toph(for now), but she was still painfully average.

Did Zuko like tall girls? A girl who could look him in the eye instead of gaze up at him? She turned to the side, she was built like a water tribe woman, there was no mistake, her body was programmed to survive in the cold climates. She had hips, she had thighs, she had a chest, and she was sure once she settled down and had a family, she would develop the short 'n stocky look of most Water Tribe women.

She ticked off her attributes as she thought Zuko would see them, hair too wavy, eyes too large and too blue, frame too large, chest too large, skin too dark, lips too big, jaw too square- she cut herself off and bent the ice mirror away, deciding that she would just make herself madder if she kept comparing herself to Zuko's ex.

_At least I have EMOTIONS!! _She thought, but it did little for her jealousy. The last time she had felt this jealous of someone was when Aang had gotten better at water bending than her without even having to try.

Zuko had been awake the whole time, he stared miserably up at his ceiling, the token for his ex girlfriend still clutched between his fingers. He covered his eyes with his forearm and cringed every time he heard something bang around in the other room. He wanted to apologize and try to explain, but he didn't dare go in with the water bender mid fit. He was scared she would attack him, and he knew he would take the beating no questions asked out of guilt.

At least he would feel better emotionally then, if a bit worse for wear physically. Katara didn't pull her punches for anyone but Aang. He pressed his lips together, it wasn't right, she and Aang hadn't broken up, not exactly, and he had already far overstepped the bounds of friendship with her. Aang had asked him to help her sort out her issues and bring her back fixed, that's what he should be doing.

Not taking advantage of her.

He SHOULD be trying to patch things up with Mai, but truth be told, he just didn't want to.

_Its just both of us wanting a rebound. _He told himself, _It's only been two weeks, it's the heat of the swamp, and the women . . . the women here are a bad influence on Katara. They take things too lightly, they run around half naked, they share beds with whoever they please, they call her a virgin like it's a bad thing._

Something else banged and he flinched again, but then relaxed as he heard the sound of her sliding onto her mattress. Things were silent for a few instants then he heard her sniff. Was she crying? He couldn't tell.

He hauled his pillow over his ears, feeling worse, he hated making girls cry. One of the things he liked about Mai was that she never cried. His reasoning for leaving Katara's room was suddenly a ghost of a memory, and all he could think of was how cruel he had been. Zuko hated how he always made the wrong call.

He tentatively listened again.

Silence.

He replaced the pillow over his ears. The room was suddenly very cold, and he bent his skin hotter to compensate. He stared aghast as the walls began to frost, and the air became drier and drier. He could see his breath, and his body started to steam as he maintained his heightened body heat. What was Katara doing?!

He bent the room back, melting the frost from his walls. He hoped that it wouldn't become a bending battle, he didn't feel like trying to raise the temperature while she froze the water all night. He scrunched his eyes shut, telling himself it was for the greater good.

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Ty Lee touched her toes, her legs spread wide doing the splits, she wasn't really paying attention to it though. She was watching Sokka and Suki exiting the hold out of the corner of her eyes. They were whispering to each other, glancing at her every so often. Ty Lee chewed on her lip, wondering what on earth was so interesting. She never got attention as a child, and it made her immensely uncomfortable the way that they kept giving it to her.

She studied their auras, but they disclosed nothing, so the acrobat somersaulted to her feet then launched herself across the deck with ease and landed in front of them.

"Hey!!" She bubbled, "Good morning, Suki, Sokka, you guys are finally up! You missed the most beautiful sunrise, and then a cloud that was shaped like a giant koi, and then a giant koi that was shaped like a cloud, and THEN-"

Suki cut her off, they had relaxed the formalities, "Ty Lee, Did the Ship Captain tell you when we were scheduled to reach the swamp?"

"Oh . . . No, he didn't, I bet the first mate knows, shall I ask him?"

"Yea, I guess, if you feel like it." Sokka sounded guilty, and Ty Lee frowned, she knew they had been talking about her behind her back. How oblivious did they think she was?

She trotted off, passing some of the men doing their work. She was such an extrovert that she had made friends with most of the crew in only a few hours. They had teased her because although she didn't reach any of their shoulders, she was still just as strong. Plus they liked that she flirted.

"So, Ty Lee," One of them asked, "You look like a sturdy little girl, If I took you sailing, could you paddle my longboat?"

"I'm sure I could paddle any boat in your armada!"

"That's amazing!" one of his buddies teased, "Usually it takes three grown men to paddle his longboat! Could you hoist my sail?"

"Hey! Any of you seamen know when we're estimated to dock?" Ty lee really did need to know.

"Oh aye, Captain said that we should hit the swamp shore tomorrow, mid morning."

"Wow! So soon!" Ty Lee grinned, "That's great news!"

"If we don't make it, you can give me a taste of the Captain's daughter!"

That was one she hadn't heard, so she didn't know the innuendo, but she grinned, "You, me and the captain's daughter? Sounds hot!" she answered vaguely, waving over her shoulder at them.

She found Suki and Sokka at the stern, "Hey guys! Ok, word round the salty dogs is that we should dock tomorrow morning. Soooo . . ." Ty Lee grabbed Suki's hands, "We can have a girl's day!!"

"A girl's day?" Suki looked skeptical.

"Yea! Like, we can sit in the shade, enjoy the sea air, and tell each other embarrassing stories, and do each others hair, and and you know, bond!" She turned to Sokka, "You can join us, but you have to wear a skirt."

Suki laughed, "It wouldn't be the first time!"

"Oh! Sokka in a dress!?" Ty Lee imagined it, "I bet that was sexy."

"He wore the make up too."

"It's called war paint when a man wears it!!" Sokka defended homophobically.

"OooOOooh! Do tell!" Ty Lee grabbed Suki's arm, and dragged her off to gossip, Suki gave him a thumbs up as they departed, not bothering to scold the smaller girl about addressing her so informally.

Ty Lee dragged her all the way up to the crows nest, and they settled down, their backs to the circular railing wall and after a few 'embarrassing Sokka' stories were swapped, they both seemed to relax. Once you got past the ear to ear grin, the acrobat was not half bad company.

" . . . So there I was, trying to teach Azula how to flirt! I mean, she seemed so genuinely interested!"

"But she is the Princess of the Fire Nation! She could get anything she wanted!"

"I think that's exactly why . . . I think she was curious whether or not she could get whatever she wanted without being the Fire Princess. Turns out she wasn't half bad at flirting, she just didn't enjoy it on principal." Ty Lee fingered her chin, "Plus, the guy was a total flake."

"Are you worried about running into her again?"

"Yes," Ty Lee hugged her knees, her face turning serious, but she didn't offer any more of an explanation.

Suki tried to tactfully steer the conversation, "Don't worry, Aang will be there, and everyone understands that you, Mai, and Azula are no longer a tag team, that you're on team Avatar now."

"Hahaha! Oh come on, I met the Avatar face to face without fighting once! At the grand opening of the Jasmine Dragon, and he was hanging all over Katara for a lot of it."

"Well, this might be a good time to get to know him better." Suki prodded, "You both like flipping through the air and stuff a lot, maybe you could teach each other a few things."

"You think? Maybe he can only do . . . you know, air bender stuff." Ty Lee's grin had returned at the thought of learning some acrobatics from an actual air bender.

"We'll ask him when we get there." Suki promised.

"Maybe he can show my sisters too! We are all just as flexible!" Ty Lee put her chin in her hands.

"Really? Any of them fire benders?"

"No, nobody in my family is a bender, even if a fire bender marries and has kids in my family, their children wont be benders." Ty Lee looked sad, she had so wanted to be a bender as a kid, to be able to throw fire like Azula and Zuko, "We're all really really flexible though." That seemed to cheer her up.

"That's too bad," Suki patted the girl's arm and let the other girl change the subject to the elephant seagulls on the rigging, and her theory on why they looked sad.

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June rode through the woods, heading west. Ursa rode beside her on an ostrich horse, and was examining her nails thoughtlessly.

The bounty hunter was busily trying to remember everything she could about the middle aged woman. The Ladyslipper. She had the same history as most noble women from the Fire Nation. She had been recruited at the Fire Nation Academy for Girls by one of the professors. She had excelled in history, psychology, and politics disciplines, but always did horribly in the mandatory weapons and combat disciplines. June never heard of her having a weapon of choice. The Professor that worked there, (she knew the woman's code name, but not which professor it actually was) had lobbied for her to the council, who were reluctant. Usually women were selected for their combative skills, Ursa was chosen because of her mouth. She had a golden tongue. Word around the order was that the woman could persuade anyone to do anything, that she had talked the old Fire Lord out of many (but not all) genocides.

All women in the order were dangerous. Most because of their individual, subtle talents, June had been approached because of her talent with Shirshu training. Shirshus were notoriously hostile creatures, difficult to domesticate and impossible to train, and very rare. One had been given to her father as payment for a bounty, and her father had given it to her with little pleading necessary, rather disgusted by the thing's tentacled nose and whip like tongue. June had named her Nyla.

Ironically, the Shirshu pup had actually taken to June, which the bounty hunter had credited largely to her swamp blood, along with anything else strange and unusual that she couldn't explain. As a pup, Nyla's venom couldn't paralyze a whole person, only the part of the body it struck, and June remembered long hours of riding with her father, Nyla cradled in her paralyzed arms. Perhaps it was the large amount of venom she internalized over the years, perhaps it was the time they spent together, perhaps it was because Nyla was the closest thing to a friend June ever had the luxury of, or perhaps it was simply a shirshu thing (nobody really knew what they did in the wild), she had developed a very strong bond with the creature, and vice versa.

Nyla had not stayed cuddleable for long, and after a few years, she was as big as an ostrich horse, and June had started training her, or maybe Nyla had trained her, to ride together. Her father had been killed in a bar fight around that time, and June went to find her mother, deep in the marsh of the earth kingdom, and had lived with the women there for almost five years. She apprenticed, learned their combat and their ways, learned about her gifts, and even bore the marks of the apprentices, though she could never become a full priestess because she had no bending. She had thought about staying, but truly she was more her father's daughter than her mother's, and she couldn't resist the thrill of the road, the call of coins, or the rush of the hunt.

She had left soon after her seventeenth birthday.

The Sirens had approached her the same year, full of questions and offers of power and peace and money. Naive girl that she had been, she took them up on their offer. Perhaps because of their support, their whispers, she soon rose to be the best bounty hunter in the Earth Kingdom, or at least the most sought after.

"You're a legend, you know." June told her, "You assassinated the Fifty First Earth King when you were eighteen, that was your very first assignment." She said to the older woman.

Ursa said nothing.

Coin did not buy June's respect, few ever earned it, but Ursa had had it the instant she sat down at the table. It was something in the way she carried herself, it was in the curve of her cheek, the creases around her eyes, the muscles that rippled below the skin of her arm as she tugged on her reigns. It was easy to see how one might do almost anything for her. The woman was a queen, whether she had a country or not, and June was disappointed that such a powerful woman bore such a ridiculous son.

"You know what my first assignment was? To bring Nyla to the Herbalist to give her a sample of her saliva. We spent two weeks paralyzed most of the time before we had gotten a cupful. Nyla does not like things shoved into her mouth. The bloody woman kept whining about her cat! She kept feeding the damn thing these mashed up herbs! Cats are carnivores!" June complained, trying to get a rise out of the older woman.

Ursa looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

June grinned a lazy half smile, "I did a job for your son."

Ursa's eyes widened, and she inhaled sharply, her knuckles turning white around the reigns.

"I would tell you about it, if you make it worth my while."

"I can't." The older woman's voice was strained.

"And about his damn lecherous uncle." June was enjoying this.

Ursa's lips pressed together, "Iroh is a good man."

"I would have liked him a lot more had he not taken advantage of me." June rocked back into her saddle, watching with delight as the older woman's face went from surprise to curiosity, "Had me looking for his little water bending girlfriend who isn't."

"Zuko's girlfriend isn't a water bender, she is an aristocrat." Ursa was unsure

June shrugged.

Ursa chewed her bottom lip.

"One question, Bounty Hunter, and you tell me about my son. Everything you know about my son."

"That's fair." June adjusted her whip, "Zuko, he was a bit of an arrogant ass, didn't like him the minute I saw him. Always scowling, he had a necklace with him, wanted me to find some girl. I figured he was looking for his girlfriend who had run off, an easy, open and shut sort of commission. No such luck, turned out he was looking for the Avatar, and I got sucked into the crossfire. He yelled a lot, threw fire, ransomed the girl and her brother, and then got us all paralyzed. It pissed me off, worst job I've ever taken! He woulda had the Avatar though, if the kid hadn't knocked over a bunch of perfumes and made Nyla panic. He was a pretty determined fighter."

"Oh . . ."

"Then I saw him again, right around the comet, wanted me to find the Avatar, AGAIN." June rolled her eyes, "He was different though, softer, not such a boor. I don't know why I took the job, my sixth sense told me to, I didn't even charge him for it, had to travel halfway across the earth kingdom to find his damn uncle. He had the man's shoe, you believe it? Grossed me out, but whatever, Nyla didn't mind. She doesn't discriminate between good and bad smells. So, I left them near the man, I didn't want to see him again, lest the pervert try to feel me up again. That's what he did the first time, Nyla hit me and Zuko with her tongue on accident, and I landed on top of the man, Iroh, and he put his arm around me and shit, and I was stuck like that for two hours! Claimed he was paralyzed, but he wasn't. I could tell by the way he was breathing that he had full use of his ribcage. Pissed me off. Pissed Zuko off too."

"Was he happy?"

"Zuko? No," June tapped her chin, "Not particularly. Seemed miserable. All burnt up and miserable both times."

Ursa bent her head, and it took June several seconds to realize that the woman was crying.

"You should visit the Palace, see him if you miss him."

Ursa looked down at her hands, "I shall be punished with both his and my death should I so much as look at him," She replied softly, "It is my cross to bear for the choice I made."

"What choice was that?"

"Is that your question?"

"No."

"Then I am not at liberty to discuss that. What is your question?"

"I'll ask it when I am ready!"

June growled, the woman was an enigma. For someone who's talent of persuading people to do her will had rocketed her to the top ranks of the order, she sure didn't talk much.

Plus, her tongue was a disappointingly normal color.

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Mai stared up at the ceiling of her room, she had piled most of her cloths onto the bed and she still lay shivering under all the layers. She was regretting listening to Azula, they could be warm and comfortable in an inn somewhere in the Earth Kingdom by then, using false names and making contacts with the leaders of the resistance.

Instead she was shivering in the cold in the dark in the night. The Fire Nation was hot by day, but usually dropped sharply at night, and it didn't help that they were up on a mountain where the wind was whipping though the rocks. On top of that, part of Mai's wall was missing.

Enough was enough, she had broken her friend out, she was the one who should be calling the shots. Azula should be following her lead, gratefully!! Mai sat up, Azula should also be gratefully using her fire bending to keep her liberator warm.

The aristocrat slipped down the hallway and stopped at Azula's room, frowning, Azula would have warmed it up more, wouldn't she have? Mai pressed her hands to the door but no heat radiated outward, and she frowned, knocking. As long as Azula was keeping it warm under the covers, she didn't care.

There was no answer, so the goth knocked louder, calling her friend's name.

"Azula, open up, it's freezing."

Still no answer.

Mai pushed the door open. The room was empty. She ran to the bed and placed her hand in the sheets. They were still warm, Azula hadn't left long ago. Mai shrugged, the girl had probably gone to the bathroom or something. She slipped into her friend's bed, sighing happily at the lingering warmth.

Azula had left about a half an hour earlier, she had been staring up at the ceiling tossing and turning in her bed for hours. She couldn't sleep, she couldn't stop thinking about the Avatar. His soft skin, his terrified eyes, his screams. She licked her lips.

Getting up she had pulled on her leggings and the best fitting top that she could find and her boots. She swung her leg over the windowsill and slipped off into the night. She had seriously only meant to go for a walk to cool her nerves, but somehow she found herself at the outskirts of the capitol. She shook her head, the last thing that she remembered clearly was laying in bed and lusting after the boy.

Brushing it off, she slunk into the shadows, making her way through the sleeping city. Both her and Zuko were well trained in the arts of stealth, and she made it through all the guards posts without being seen. The Avatar had not even posted new ones or insisted they change their patrols. He was so delightfully inexperienced.

A few leaps, a scramble and a shimmy up a column and she swung herself up onto her old balcony. The doors were closed and locked, but Azula had snuck in and out of her room so much it only took a small wiggle from one of Mai's stilettos and the lock clicked.

She swung the door open and dropped to a crouch, falling into the shadow, and listened. The Avatar was breathing softly, curled up under the covers. He seemed so peaceful, and it made Azula frown. There was no aura of fear, no shivering, no tense muscles. He was not scared. It would be no fun if he wasn't scared. If he went straight from sleep to anger, the game would be wasted.

She wanted him to scream.

She leaned over the bed, her gold eyes glinting in the moonlight, and considered her options.

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"No no, You're not maintaining your tuck."

Yeo and her friends were showing Katara the swamp bending dance that they did, and the water tribe girl was surprised how much work you had to do for such little movement.

"Now isolate your ribcage . . . no, you're hunching your shoulders forward, don't hunch, if you hunch, then you are wrong."

"What's the matter Water Tribe? Cant you concentrate?"

Katara shook her head, "Sorry guys, me and Zuko had a fight last night. I guess it's bothering me a lot." She sat down in the shallow water and rubbed her temples.

"What did y'all fight bout?" Yeo flopped down next to her.

"I don't know." Katara answered truthfully, "That I'm not his ex girlfriend maybe? That we're moving to fast maybe? That he is emotionally unstable? I don't know . . ."

"Psh!" One said, "Zuko can go suck dick, y'all can do better than him if y'all want to!"

"Shh!" scolded the one next to her, "Don' talk bout the Fire Lord like that!!"

Katara decided she really should learn these girl's names.

"'Tara?" They all spun, Zuko stood there, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Er, we's gotta go . . . help Due 'n Tho unload their raft." The girls quickly scrambled off, each of them giving Zuko a dirty look as they passed.

"Katara, I'm sorry." Zuko started as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Yea, I thought you might be." The old hostility in her voice was back, she hadn't talked to him with such venom since they had searched for her father's killer together.

"You and Aang . . ."

"Me and Aang have nothing to do with you and me." She shot back.

"But you, you guys are just taking a break, and, well, I shouldn't step into the middle." Zuko pinched his nose.

"You assume

Zuko looked down, "Is there something I can do to make it up to you?"

"Make it up to me?!" Katara raised her voice, was he high on swamp fumes?! "You want to make it up to me!!"

"Umm . . ." He shifted back and forth, wishing she wouldn't yell, everyone was starting to stare.

"Well, Why don't we go back and NOT go through the cave of two lovers . . . or, or why don't YOU explain to Aang what was wrong in my and his relationship, or . . . or . . ."

"Katara that doesn't make sense!" Zuko cut her off, raising his voice, "Why can't you be angry and logical at the same time?!"

"How I am when I'm angry is NONE of your business!! You don't even fight back half the time!! Are you that whipped?"

Zuko exhaled a lungful of smoke through his nose, "I'm not whipped!! YOU'RE scary when you get mad!!"

"Oh right!" Katara's hands went to her hips, and she glared up at him, "Like you're actually scared of me!! Big, bad Fire Lord scared of a 'water peasant'? You're just making excuses!!"

"Tell that to the Southern Raiders captain whose arms and legs you broke with your body bending that night!!" Zuko shot back, "I thought for a minute I had taken Azula on a mission, and not you!!"

"Don't compare me to your sister!!" Katara's face flushed, and the water of the lake began to ripple and splash with her arm movements.

"Well I WOULDN'T if you-"

"Shoot, Lee, what did y'all do for a tongue lashin' like that!!" Tho was wading towards them, apparently taking it upon himself to break up the fight before it went to blows. Or floods and fires.

"Yea, LEE, what did you do?!" Katara spat.

Zuko crossed his arms and glared, but didn't respond. Whatever he said would be wrong, he knew that much.

"Y'all know how we can settle this?" Tho cracked his knuckles, "A Swamp Skiin' throwdown."

"A what?" Katara was not impressed, "That's stupid, like, a race? How is that supposed to-"

"THROW DOWN!!" Tho insisted.

"FINE!" Katara threw up her hands in exasperation, "What do we do?!"

"Hey! I didn't agree to this!" Zuko complained as Tho grabbed his arm.

"DUE!! We Got ourselves a throw down!! What's the wager?!"

Katara stepped into the water, freezing it around her ankles and bending herself forward, surfing across the marshy water, "No wager, this is for payback."

"Ooh, them's fightin words!" Due looked delighted, and he shoved Slim out of his canoe, handing Tho two sticks of wood.

"Put these on yer feet!" Tho ordered.

Zuko looked down at the things, they were filled with mud and bugs, "No thanks, let's just say Katara wins."

"Y'all're backin out without even tryin?! That ain't manly!!"

"Oh, and I suppose providing her the opportunity to give me a pounding is manly?"

Tho raised an eyebrow, "What y'all do after ain't my concern."

"What! No! That's not what I meant!"

"Well Lee, Y'all should at least give her the satisfaction of finishing first." Tho's voice was dripping with suggestiveness. He put his arms around Zuko's chest and leaned back, hauling him up and ramming his feet into the disgusting sticky swamp skis.

Zuko felt a little nauseous as his toes squished in between something wriggling and something slimy.

"What's the hold up?" Katara surfed over on her ice board, her arms out as she balanced, floating on the water.

"Nothin! Just gettin' Lee all ready . . ." Tho shoved a rope into his hands.

Zuko glanced around, they were attracting quite a crowd. He wiggled his feet trying to yank them out of the skis. Tho clamored into the boat, and hollered something, the boat started to move. Quickly. Suddenly he found himself skimming out over the water, the skis keeping him on the surface. Zuko did what any fire bender would do in the same situation. He panicked.

"Bend your knees!!" he heard Due yell, and he struggled to comply.

Katara surfed up next to him, bending the ice board across the water, pacing him. She shot him a glare, daring him to fall. She made a hard turn in the water, splashing him with her board, then she had to jump to avoid a catgaitor.

" . . . Y'all want to keep your knees bent and your weight level, 'n when y'all fall, y'all wanna let go of the rope so ye don't get dragged. We'll come round an get ya, don worry." Due was explaining, as he hauled on the rudder.

"Wait, 'when' I fall?" Zuko shouted, "shouldn't it have been 'if' I fall?" He thought he was not half bad, if it wasn't the expression of pure psychological pain on his face, they would have assumed he had done this sort of thing before.

The Fire Nation was not too big on water sports though, and it took water benders to get a boat going fast enough to swamp ski.

"Keep yer knees toget'er!" Due yelled, "We're comin ta the first turn up ahead!"

Zuko panicked and lost his balance, and suddenly plunged into the swampy water. He let go of the rope and managed to kick back up to the surface, coughing, the wood strapped to his feet weighing him down greatly.

"Y'all can do better than that!" Tho was bending the boat in close, "Y'all're Fire Nation."

Katara chewed her lip, trying to look innocent as he glared at her. She melted the ice she stood on and stepped into the canoe, then reached out her hand to help him climb in. It was sort of a half hearted peace offering.

Zuko grabbed it and his expression changed to an impish smile.

"Oh don't you dare-" Was all that Katara managed to get out before he hauled on her arm, pulling her off the boat and into the water with a satisfying splash.

Her head broke the surface and she spluttered for a second before bending her neck forward and flipping her plastered hair back off her face, splashing him and Tho. She glared at him, then bent a splash over him.

He bent a blast of fire, and all the water around them tuned to steam.

Due and Tho were in hysterics, apparently the simple things in life were the funniest to them.

"I can't believe y'all fell for that there trick, Katara!"

"t's the oldest one in the book! Y'all shoulda seen yer face there!"

"Yea well," Katara grabbed the side of the canoe and with a huge frog kick, pulled herself up, "He can get in by himself then." She propped her leg back up on one of the seats and raised an eyebrow at the Fire Lord expectantly.

Apparently, getting into a canoe in water that was over your head with skis on your feet was a lot more difficult than it looked. Due, Tho and Katara were soon laughing again, their boat rocking back and forth in the water as the fire bender tried to pull himself in. Finally after seven or eight tries, Due took pity on him and grabbed the Fire Lord's forearm and helped haul him in.

"Don' feel bad, Lee, thers a technique ta it." he informed him, "Ya gots ta kick an' haul at the right times, else the boat floats off wi'out ya."

"Y'all ready for round two?!" Tho asked excitedly as he and Due bent the boat towards the shore.

"Round two?" Zuko shook his head, there was no way in hell he was doing that again.

"Yea! Ya gotta be able ta stay on yer feet if ya wanna throw down."

Katara left him and the two swamp men squabbling over whether or not there was going to be a round two, and by the way they were shoving the unbeknownst to them Fire Lord's feet back into his skis, it looked like there would be. She found a place on the moss to sit down and watch the show, grateful that the fire bender at least was putting up enough fuss for nobody to have noticed that she had snuck away.

"'Scuse me." A voice said behind her, ""r ya Katara o the Water Tribe? Fire Lord Zuko's Companion?"

"Yes," Katara turned, looking at the speaker. It was a swamp priestess her hair long wavy hair was tied up in a knot, with pale skin and blue green eyes. She was also clearly pregnant.

"So, y'all know General Iroh?"

"Well, he isn't a general anymore." Katara said, dismissingly, "But yes, I do."

"Oh! Tha's great news!" The woman lowered herself to the moss, "M name 's Naj,"

"Nice to meet you Naj, how far along are you?" Katara asked, touching her own stomach for clarification.

"Oh! nearly five months." The woman winked, "Gon be a lil' girl, I can tell."

"Congratulations!" Katara grinned and clasped her hands together, other people's babies were definitely on her top ten favorite things ever list, "That's so exciting! Are you a new mom?"

The woman shook her head, "Naw, she 'as a lil brother too, 'ees five now, gon start trainin fer his bendin soon." The woman preened proudly, "I'll have ta introduce him to ya in a year or two fer schoolin, if the waterways lead us together again. But, I wana know, where ever did he end up settin up that teashop. Said somthin bout Ba Sing Se, something bout Omashu, an something bout the Fire Nation."

"Wait, you've met Iroh?"

"Yea, he came to visit tha swamp."

"Huh! He didn't say anything about it, though he didn't really know we were coming. Why did he come?" Katara watched Zuko wipe out again on the lake.

"We helped him find some indigenous herbs for making tea."

"When was that?"

"Oh, err . . . nearly five months ago."

Katara's jaw dropped.

"Don' look at me like that!!" Naj said, amused, "I's a grown woman! I can do as I please!"

Zuko was storming out of the water by then, seaweed tangled in his braids. He stormed over to Katara.

"The next time YOU want to go SWAMP SKIING, please PLEASE REFRAIN from ROPING ME INTO IT."

"Shhush!!" Katara hissed, shaking her hand, "So . . . so you're little girl is . . ."

"Mhm."

"KATARA!" Zuko grabbed her shoulder, turning her to face him, "Are you listening?!"

"Zuko! You have a new nephew!" Katara gushed, throwing her arms around him.

"Cousin." Raj corrected.

"Cousin." Katara repeated, delighted.

"Cousin?" Zuko asked, "What is she talking about? Is she stoned again?"

"No. I'm NOT." Katara hissed, "Zuko, Iroh came here for a visit several months ago, and . . . . and . . ." She clasped her hands together, "He is going to have a daughter!!"

Zuko stared at her stunned, stunned that he had a new relation, stunned that his uncle had a daughter, and stunned most of all by the fact that Katara was no longer angry.

_Figures. _He thought, rolling his eyes, but decided to quit while he was only a little bit behind.

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"I luuuuve you guuuys." Ty Lee hiccupped, an arm around both Sokka and Suki. She leaned over and kissed Suki sloppily in the cheek. She giggled, then leaned the other way and kissed Sokka on his cheek.

"As your captain, I order you never to get into a drinking contest with a sailor who outweighs you by a hundred and fifty pounds!" Suki ordered.

"At least!" Sokka agreed, "And about a foot taller than you! You're barely five feet!"

"Aww, yoooure so f'unny! I'm five feet eeeveeen . . . leavin . . . heavin." Ty Lee squeezed both their heads into her chest, then lost her balance, knocking everyone to the ground.

"Oww . . ." Suki pushed the collapsed, intoxicated girl off of her, then scooped the smaller girl up bridal style, "Sokka, get the door."

Her boyfriend scrambled to comply, hauling Ty Lee's door open. Suki put the smaller girl down on her bed and started unlacing her shoes.

"Pillow f'ight!!" Ty Lee grabbed her pillow and hit Suki, her momentum taking her off the bed.

Suki held up her hands defensively, "Sokka! Will you grab her?"

"No! You should hit her back!" Sokka handed her another pillow.

"What?! I'm not going to- ooof!!" She got hit in the back of the head again, "Alright, it's on!!" She hit Ty Lee back, and the pillow exploded, showering them both with feathers.

Ty Lee squeaked and hit back, her pillow ripping as well. The air was suddenly full of feathers. Suki covered her face. Ty Lee sneezed hard.

And slammed into the wall.

The one six feet behind her.

"Oww . . . oo put a w'aaall there?" She mumbled before curling up on the floor and passing out.

"Suki, you're a genius!! A homoerotic genius!!" Sokka did a victory dance, and then kissed her happily. It always turned him on when she did something smart.

She kissed him back, wrapping her arms around him, smiling into his mouth as he groped clumsily along her waist. Sokka had never been the most tactful or graceful, but he was definitely improving.

Teasingly she bit his lip, her hands gripping the fabric of the back of his shirt. Sokka was eager to deepen the kiss, but she put a hand on his chest.

"Come on," She mumbled sullenly as their lips parted, "We aught to at least put her in her bed."

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"Why are we stopping here?" June asked, "Ba Sing Se is great, but I thought you were in a hurry."

"Do you want to apprentice with Master Piandao or not?" Ursa slid off her mount.

"Yes." June replied sullenly, "But he lives in the Fire Nation, so I don't see why we need to stop here."

"I have an old friend I need to talk to about it." Ursa pulled up her hood, "Just wait here for me."

June sighed loudly, but slid off Nyla, patting the beast fondly, "Alright whatever."

"And don't get drunk."

"What?! No! You can't tell me what to do in my down time." June glared at the back of the woman's cloak.

"Surely the best bounty hunter in the earth kingdom could go an hour without a swig of alcohol."

June grumbled, securing the mounts to a pole and then watched the older woman steal off towards the rock trains that spiderwebed the city.

"I can go as long as I want without a drink." June informed Nyla, who buzzed back, bumping the young woman's hand with her nose.

"That's what I thought." June said, sitting down with her back to the wall to wait, annoyed. They could put at least two more hours between them and Ba Sing Se. It didn't make sense, there was no reason to stop and figure out her payment before hand.

June glanced down the street again, then stood and walked over to her employers ostrich horse. She flipped open the saddlebags and rummaged around inside. A comb, a picture of her children, a change of cloths, nothing interesting. She stepped around to the opposite side and looked, a dagger, a flower, and a letter. Score.

She opened the letter, her eyes skimming over it's contents. Nothing she didnt know already, except for the last bit.

_Since you were the one who protected her from execution, you will be the one to take care of her now. Clean up your mess, Ladyslipper._

_Do not contact the Fire Lord._

_Do not contact The Puppetmaster._

_Do not interfere with any Order business. We understand you love your son, but if you do, you will be executed. _

_You have been warned._

_The Sirens_

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**All right, Chapter 16, you were fun. **

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**Ok, so today somebody asked me if I was a free mason. Is that random or what? I thought it was all ironic because I was looking up stuff on them to loosely inspire the Sirens.**

**Which brings me to my next point, Ursa and the Order, I have gotten some questions on that. The Ursa that talks to Azula is a hallucination; she exists only in Azula's head. She is not Ursa's ghost.**

**The Sirens are not like the White Lotus, the higher up members each have a token name they use instead of a real name. Due to the nature of the things they have their fingers sunk into, a certain degree of secrecy, even from other members in necessary. Ursa's is an orchid, particularly a ladyslipper, and that is how she is referred to. June is not high enough in rank to have a codename. Yet.**

**More will be unfolded as the story goes along, if there is any burning questions, feel free to ask.**

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**Ok, I got another great fanart, this time from Tempest-in-Blue**

**http : / / tempest-in-blue dot deviantart dot com / art / 48-Dance-Midsummer-Zutara-98534354**

**The clickable links on my profile. You all should check it out!! Zuko has BRAIDS! **

**How awesome is that?**

**See you all on the flipside!**


	17. Chapter 17: The Scale

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: M (Language)

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar. If I did it would have been considerably less awesome, but Katara and Zuko would have totally gotten together, so I guess it's a toss up.

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**Chapter 17: The Scale**

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Aang woke with a start, he knew instantly that there was someone else in his room, he played possum, pretending to still be asleep as he listened carefully for sounds of breathing. He didn't want to accidentally hit a servant with a fireball who had come in to return laundered cloths to his wardrobe before he woke or something.

The room was quiet. Terrifying. The way it felt when he was little and convinced that there was a monster under his bed or in his closet. What made it worse though was that now there probably was a monster lurking in the shadows of the room.

Something shifted on his bed.

_She was on his bed!!_

He felt the mattress move, sink, every time she pressed a hand into it. Slowly she moved until she was leaning over him. He could feel her gaze hitting the side of his face, and his heart froze in his chest. He waited, like Bumi had advised him nearly a year earlier, for the opportune moment to strike.

"I know you're awake, Avatar." She leaned in, he could feel the heat of her breath on his cheek, "I heard your breathing change."

There would be no opportune moment. Aang suddenly uncoiled, blasting a fireball right where her head should be. She dodged it, barely, yanking her head out of the way in time, but he caught a few strands of her hair, and the foul scent of her singed tresses filled the room.

"Hahaha! Zuzu used to try that when we were kids! He would always miss!!"

"Get away from me Azula!" he hissed, throwing another fireball which she dodged, moving to a crouch. She glared up at him through her brow, her gold eyes glinting green in the waning moonlight.

"Or what?" She asked lazily, her head rolling to one side.

"I've already got Sokka, Suki, and Ty Lee on their way."

"Ty Lee?" Azula seemed puzzled for a minute, as though she couldn't remember anyone by that name, "Oh! Ty Lee, supple little creature isn't she?"

"Azula, You're under arrest for the murder of three of your nurses."

"Yes? What were their names?" Azula stretched out on his covers, a half sleepy, bored look on her face.

"Umm . . ."

"You don't know, do you?" She pursed her lower lip at him, making a sad face, "Poor Avatar, so misguidedly self righteous. Won't you read me my rights? Do I have the right to remain silent?"

"It doesn't matter! You killed someone!!" Aang pointed a finger at her, willing it not to shake.

"So did you, Avatar, you killed plenty of faceless nameless men, you sunk all those ships at the North Pole, remember?" Azula ran her fingers over her neck in the most seductive throat slitting motion Aang had ever seen.

"No, I don't remember, I was . . . I was possessed by the Ocean Spirit." Aang's voice rose in panic.

"Oh?" Azula's voice was soothing, "It's all right, possessed by a spirit, possessed by insanity, it's all the same. There's no way for a man to swim in his heavy, insulated armor, but I'm sure nobody minds that you're a murderer."

Aang glared and swiped his arm, sending a cyclone at her which knocked her hard into the black and grey marble bedpost. Her head hit it with a sickening crack, and Aang was scared that he had smashed her skull open.

To his simultaneous terror and relief, her eyes clicked open again, still positively glowing in the moonlight. She wobbled a bit, getting off the bed, and Aang's stomach sank as he saw a smear of blood across the marble. She walked around the bed, her fingers trailing on the mattress, and Aang scooted to the opposite corner on hands and heels.

"Silly little Avatar, I know you wont kill me. I can see you shaking from here."

"I'll take away your bending!" Aang raised his hands offensively.

"Will you now?" She grinned, "Then come over here and do it." She touched her chest, "You need to overpower me with your will, right? Think you can? What happens if you don't? What happens if I make you my bitch?"

Aang thought back to how he had been a hairs breadth away from losing himself to Ozai in their final battle. There was no question that Azula was a bit off, but it seemed to only make her stronger. She seemed to forget things that she should know, but knew things that logically she shouldn't. As though she could sense them in his mind.

"That's what I thought." She grinned, "You don't have proper control of the Avatar State yet anyways. Do you? You would have gone into it by now if you could. So, why don't we play a little game? You're a little boy, you like playing games, right? First, close your eyes."

"Stop it Azula!!"

She threw her head back and laughed, a mirthless, victorious chuckle.

"Oh Avatar, you do tickle me so," She walked forward, and slid onto the bed again, "Do it again, order me to do something. It amuses me!"

Aang scrambled backwards off the bed, landing in a tangle of blankets on his back on the floor. He preferred her hissing angrily at him to her cackle.

"You're scared of me." She leaned on her elbows over the side of the bed, her hair brushing his bare chest as she looked down at him.

"No!" Aang spat back, lying.

"Then you are stupid." She leaned closer, blood dripping from where it matted in her hair onto his chest, "I am a monster." She suddenly sprang from the bed and pounced on him, pinning his wrists to the red polished floor, "Tell me about your water bending girlfriend!!"

"I won't!!" Aang inhaled, but before he could finish Azula had rammed her knee into his gut, grappling with him. He coughed out the air harmlessly, his diaphragm screaming in agony.

"That whore cost me my throne." Azula's pupils dilated, "She cost me EVERYTHING!! I spent four months in an asylum!! I am going to take back what is owed to me, the bitch will pay me in full! Drop by precious drop!! I'm going to shred everything she holds dear, and . . . I think I will start with you!" One of her hands pressed into his forehead and slammed his head back into the stone floor, leaving him dazed.

He looked up at her, stunned as she became two Azulas then one blurry one. He bent a blast of fire at her and heard her swear colorfully, the smell of more burned hair reaching him. He closed his eyes, trying to find inner peace, willing the Avatar State to take him. He could feel his chi blocked up, and he couldn't slip into it, something slammed hard between his legs and he rolled over, a scream tearing from his lips.

Her mouth was on him, he could feel it. She was licking his blood . . . or hers. Her teeth sank into the muscles of his stomach and he grabbed her hair, hauling with all his strength. She let him pull her off, but the instant he let go and tried to grope for her, his vision clearing, she was kissing him.

He bit her.

She hardly noticed, and Aang's stomach turned as his mouth began to fill with her blood. As she broke away, he turned his head to the side and coughed, trying to spit her blood out, he had never swallowed any part of a living creature, and he wasn't going to start with Azula. He understood the mistake he had made almost instantly. Her mouth locked onto his exposed neck, and he panicked, bending the air around them, trying to throw her. Instead of biting though, she was sucking on him, hard, her tongue pressing into his neck, massaging it. It was almost the way Katara would kiss him, only rougher. . . . and scarier.

Azula leaned back, admiring her handiwork on the monk's neck, his eyes were tearing, and his neck was bruised and swelling, the scratches on his chest had reopened during their grappling, and the bandages were stained red. It was so incredibly sexy.

Aang stared. He didn't like the way the girl was looking at him. Like he was a piece of meat. He knew he should be using her distraction to get out from under her, but he was caught like a deer in the lantern light, practically mesmerized by her golden eyes, practically frozen to the spot in horror.

"You're a virgin, aren't you?"

The question caught Aang so much off guard his jaw dropped open. Hadn't they been fighting? Weren't they still fighting? He found his voice.

"Haa . . . Er . . ."

"It's written all over your face." Azula smiled, "That cunt never made a man out of you, did she!" the princess sounded delighted.

"Don't Azula! I swear I'll-"

He was cut off as she kissed him again, her hands roaming across his body in the same hungry way Katara's had nearly two months earlier in the North Pole. As he had then, he grabbed for them, trying to remove them from his person. He didn't understand why the touches were making him shiver, and he didn't like not knowing what was going on inside his own body.

Azula lifted his arm to her face and locked her mouth on it again, blood and saliva dripping from between her lips onto it. When she pulled away Aang saw in disgust that there was a bruise forming in the shape of her mouth.

"Hold still Avatar," She whispered into his skin as she dragged her nails across his chest, "It will only hurt for a minute . . . I promise." She grinned widely, showing off her bloodstained teeth.

The door smashed open, Toph stood there, fists raised. Azula barely had time to see her before the floor pitched up and slammed her like a ragdoll into the opposite wall. She ran across the room to stand between Azula and her pupil, another piece of castle slamming at her under Toph's hand. The Princess dodged it, somersaulting gracefully out of the way.

"I should squish you like the icky bug you are!!" Toph yelled, her hands sweeping again, raising up a column to deflect a blast of fire.

"You couldn't if you tried, little blind girl!" Azula pivoted in the air, electricity jumping from her pointed fingers.

"Come on! On your feet Twinkle Toes!" Toph raised another slab of floor protecting them both from the lightening.

Her voice shook Aang out of his paralysis, and he scrambled to his feet and grabbed for his glider staff. The lightening detonated the stone shield, and shook the whole palace, knocking them off their feet and showering them both with rocks and dust.

"Damn it!" Toph swore, getting up feeling around with her feet.

"Toph!" Aang hissed, reminding her not to swear.

"Where did she go?!" The girl pressed her hand into the ground, "I can't feel her vibrations!"

"What?! Took you so long?!"

"It takes me a while to wake up!" She shot back defensively, "Are you okay? I smell blood!"

"I'm okay, I'm okay, Just shook up."

"That's it, you're not staying here alone anymore!" Toph grabbed his arm and guided him over to his bed to sit down.

Aang limped over, following her, "She is an icky bug all right," he agreed, "A praying mantis . . ."

He sat in silence for a few minutes as Toph summoned a servant and began barking orders to the poor woman. Then she ordered guards posted outside the doors and windows, and told them to change their patrols. She also sent out a patrol to look for the princess, though Aang doubted they would find her.

"Lay down, Twinkle Toes, I'm going to stay with you tonight. It might deter her from bothering you again." Toph was making herself at home in his bed.

"But, er, the monks say that you shouldn't sleep in the same bed as a woman."

"Yea, well, from what I hear that's why they ate a vegetarian diet and whipped themselves too." Toph was unimpressed.

Aang sighed and climbed into the sheets, they lay in silence for several minutes, waiting for sleep to come.

"Toph?"

"Yea?"

"Nothing."

Silence.

"Toph?"

"Yea?"

"Thanks, you really saved my skin back there."

"Anytime."

Silence again.

"Toph?"

"Yes?"

"What's a 'cunt'?"

"Uuugh! Go to sleep Twinkle Toes!!"

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Katara stared out over the swamp as the sun set, turning the water an orange color. The mist had not yet started to rise. Zuko was sitting next to her, petting a catgaitor in fascination. It seemed to like getting it's nose scratched.

Katara hugged her knees. She was thinking about something, and that was her favorite thinking position.

"So, Fae said that when a water bender and a fire bender have kids, they usually bend opposites."

"Mmm." Zuko grunted in vague agreement.

"So, Naj is a water bender, and Iroh is definitely a fire bender, and she is having a girl."

"So? She is a fire bender, big deal, most people in my family are fire benders."

"Fire benders can't stay here, remember what Fae said?"

"Vaguely."

"What do you think will happen to her daughter?"

"'Tara it's not your problem, don't worry about it."

"I think you should write Iroh and tell him, a fire bending daughter will be much happier with her father than running around some sun temple."

"Thank you for your opinion."

They sat in silence.

"Well?"

"Well what?!" Zuko frowned.

"Well, will you?!"

"Katara!"

_Uh oh,_ she thought, _my whole name._

"I'll think about it, okay? Uncle is sort of, set in his tea business, and the woman-"

"Naj."

"Naj, she seemed iffy about telling him. Maybe she wants her daughter to herself! Maybe she is worried he'll want to take her away or send her to the Fire Nation, I don't know, these women are protective of their daughters."

Katara clasped her hands, her eyes sparkling, "But, it could be like having a little sister!"

"Please, one little sister is enough." The conversation lapsed again, and Zuko stood up soon after, "I'm going to go back to my room, I'm tired"

"But the sun had barely set!" Katara protested, standing up to follow him, "And we're not finished with this discussion! And tomorrow is a day of rest so you can sleep in!! You're scared, aren't you?!"

"I don't see why you feel the need to meddle in my family life." Zuko was annoyed, "Do you make a habit of it?"

"No, not a habit." Katara huffed and crossed her arms, stopping her pursuit and watching him retreat across the moss. He was infuriating!

"Don't worry about it," One of the older women standing nearby told her, "You'll get a better feel of how to get them to do what you want with experience." The priestess had red snake tattoos, her arms crossed as she leaned against the tree.

Katara didn't like the look of her for some reason, she looked . . . poisonous. She also did not have the strong accent that the natives did, hers was muted, as though she spent much of her time out of the swamp, among fully clothed people.

"Who are you?"

"Oh nobody," The woman waved her hand dismissingly, "I've been watching you, Katara, you're one fierce woman."

"Thanks?"

"I have a message for you, from an old friend."

"How do you know who I am friends with?" Katara took a step back, she wasn't scared, exactly, she felt like she was trapped.

"We don't want you to open it and read it until after you leave the swamp."

"Who is 'We'?"

The woman looked around, the common green was nearly empty, but she grabbed Katara's fore arm anyway and pulled her into the cover of the bangrove tree forest.

"I've been watching you Katara, and I like what I see. Have you ever heard of the Sirens?"

"No, I don't know what you're talking about, maybe you should just give me the message and let me get going, I'm sure Zuko-"

"Yes, Prince Zuko, I saw him, very handsome, lots of girls will be vying for that trophy husband." The woman glanced around again, "The Sirens are the sisters of the White Lotus. The White Lotus however does little more than watch history be created and show up at the final battle to make an appearance. The Sirens? We SHAPE history. We mold it into the future we want, we control those who control the world."

"So you were the ones behind the war on the other nations?!"

"No!! That was the most hideous overstep in the last thousand years. I suppose we are to blame for the war, but we didn't cause it. Sozin, he was best friends with the Avatar, and the Avatar Roku kept him in line. Because of this, we didn't think we would need to place someone close to him, to steer him along the right path. Who would have thought that not placing someone in his bed would result in the genocide of entire cultures!!" the woman shook her head, "If we had had a woman in his circle, whispering sweet nothings of peace into his ear, this whole bloody war would never have happened. We had been concentrating our efforts in the Northern Water Tribe, women had been steadily losing their rights, and we were trying to counter that. Trying to preserve the Tribe style of bending that the women did, but once the war was declared . . ."

Katara stared, it all sounded so unreal, that the most powerful women in the world were organizing in this way.

The woman pulled a bit of cloth out of her cleavage, and held it out of reach, "Remember, you are not to look at it until after you have left the swamp."

"Why?"

"Because you were ordered not to."

Katara looked back and forth, then nodded, holding out her hands, receiving the message, whatever it was. She tucked it into her own top, muttered a thank you, and then turned to go.

"Here," The woman walked forward and pressed something else into her hand, "Take this, something for good luck, something to remember me by."

Katara looked at her palm, it was a snake scale. "What is this for?"

The water bender realized she was talking to herself. The woman had vanished somewhere, and if there hadn't been a scale in her hand, Katara would have thought she had been a hallucination triggered by the swamp.

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Iroh hummed as he bustled back and forth in his tea shop. The night had been particularly good, and he was busy bussing the tables after closing. He reminded himself again that he should hire a helper to replace Zuko, but somehow he never got around to it. He was placing the last mugs on a tray when he heard the door open and close behind him.

"I'm sorry, we're closed." He said cheerily, not turning around, "We open again tomorrow at noon."

"Tomorrow it will be too late."

Iroh closed his eyes and stiffened, his smile vanishing, an expression of pain flashing across his face, "I thought you were dead."

"Not yet." Came the quiet reply.

"Sit down Ursa, I'll make you some tea."

"No, I don't have time." Ursa pulled her cloak off, her eyes fixed on her brother in law's back, "Please sit with me, I need a favor . . . two really."

"Anything for a beautiful lady such as yourself." Iroh complimented out of habit, sliding into the seat opposite the Fire Lady.

"Thank you for looking after my son."

"I would have done so whether you asked it of me or not." Iroh reached out and patted her hand, "After Lu Ten died, Zuko became much like my own child."

"You followed him into exile. That was above and beyond anything I expected."

"He needed someone to look out for him I never told him about you, as promised, though I hope you will relent, he really wants to know where you are"

"No, I never want him to know the monster I am, I never want anyone to see a trace of me in him. I want him to be like you."

"Ursa, you are too hard on yourself, you are not a monster."

"Would you keep looking out for him?"

"I cannot keep him under my wing any longer Ursa, he is a grown man, and what he needs now is to stand on his own two feet." Iroh argued, "That's why I am here in Ba Sing Se, and not in the Fire Nation helping him rule."

"Iroh." Ursa put on her most beseeching smile, she hated to use her talents with him, but her protectiveness of her son outweighed her guilt, "No need to move to the Fire Nation, just, perhaps, make sure he is happy and healthy and his friends truly love him?"

Iroh chewed his lip, "I will do what I can, his friends are the Avatar's, and they love him dearly, however he has been fighting with his girlfriend, her name is Mai, do you remember her? Azula's little friend? Very quiet? Well, they have been quarreling for weeks now and not in a good way, I am sad to say I don't think their relationship was meant to be."

"Thank you, it means a lot." She leaned in closer, she flinched every time he said her name, as though he was trying to convey how much he had missed her, "I also need you to write Piandao and ask him to take on an apprentice."

"He is always looking for someone with talent. He has been trying to convince that Water Tribe boy in the Avatar's circle to apprentice, but apparently he has other obligations he must see to first. " Iroh agreed, "I'm sure he will see any man who has caught your eye."

"It's June, a bounty hunter. I believe you two have met."

"Is she here?!" Iroh unconsciously smoothed back his hair, and straightening.

"No, she is waiting in another part of the city."

The old man relaxed, "I cannot, Piandao only trains men, and he holds little esteem for Sirens. Calls them spiders, weaving traps and waiting for people to fall into them, he would never take a member on to teach them swordplay."

Ursa frowned thoughtfully, "He is still bitter?" Piandao had had a daughter years ago who had died mysteriously. Most informed people believed that she had been killed in the line of duty, doing something for the Sirens. Uninformed people assumed she had had a terrible accident.

"He loved her very much." Iroh straightened his back, defending his friend, "You ladies had no right."

"You don't feel you owe June?" Ursa asked raising an eyebrow.

"Owe her for what?"

"Your little paralysis stunt."

"We paid her in full and she still gave me a black eye when she could move!! I would say we're even." Iroh was starting to crack, she could see it. She just needed to go in for the kill.

"And don't you think someone who could give the Dragon of the West, Master Fire Bender, General Iroh a black eye has some talent in hand to hand combat that should be pursued?"

"Well, yes . . . no! Ursa, please stop that. June's only allegiance lies with money."

"The thing about people who's allegiances lie with money, is they will always go for the best offer. All you have to do is provide it, perhaps she would be willing to shirk us and join the White Lotus if they made her a better offer. ."

"You know the White Lotus does not accept women." Iroh scolded.

"Then you can hardly find fault in women for answering in kind." Ursa put her hand on his, "Please Iroh? This will be the last gesture you will ever have to make on my behalf to the White Lotus."

"Alright," Iroh stood, "I will go write her a recommendation now."

Ursa watched him as he painted the characters onto the scroll, his brow furrowed in annoyance. She felt bad, she truly did, but acting on one's guilt would never get you anywhere in the world. If you had to make sacrifices and step on people's toes, you did, you just tried to be as pleasant as you could about it.

"I was hoping you would let me tell him about you," Iroh was saying, "He is looking for you, you know, he may track you down yet. Perhaps I could tell him of you on his eighteenth birthday?" Iroh finally said, blowing on his ink, watching it dry.

Ursa pulled her cloak back around her. "Iroh, I leave that decision entirely up to you. It would be a mercy to Zuko to let him keep his illusions. Let him think that Azula is totally her father's daughter, and none of me ever blossomed in her personality. Let him think that I am the innocent granddaughter of Roku, that I was a beloved, just queen who never did anything selfish. Won't you grant me this last bit of vanity?"

"I don't like the way you're talking Ursa. What are the women having you do? Are they sending you to assassinate someone? You MUST NOT take any more lives!!" Iroh grabbed her, his voice becoming louder with each successive question, and he gave her a shake for emphasis.

"Please release me, brother in law, there is no need to get physical." Ursa's voice was calm but authoritative, and her brother in law let her go, reluctantly.

"You are poisoning yourself! We have all done things we regret in the name of the Fire Nation, and in the name of Peace, but whatever it is-"

Ursa looked away, her eyes filling with tears which she blinked away hurriedly, her mission weighing heavily on her heart. She stepped forward and embraced her brother in law, cutting off his rant mid sentence. She squeezed hard, her fingers fisting in the fabric of his tea uniform, and she buried her face in the fabric. Eyes closed, she felt him place his arms around her, his hands stroking through her hair, cradling her head.

Spirits, how she had missed him with all the fire of her being.

"I can't stay." She whispered, more for herself than for him, "I have to go meet June."

"Will it be another five years before I hear from you again?" Iroh asked sadly.

"No." Ursa lied.

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Katara slipped into her room and stowed both the token and the sealed message in her bag. She was mulling over what the woman had said to her, convinced that the snake scale woman had let slip more than she had intended to, but couldn't quite piece it together.

_Manipulating him gets better with experience._ She thought, _Lots of girls vying for that trophy . . ._

That wasn't it either, she sat on her bed, chewing on her lip. Maybe Zuko himself could provide some inspiration. She pulled back the curtain without knocking, she had made it a habit not to knock in the western air temple to remind him that he wasn't even deserving of privacy or respect, and somehow the habit had stuck.

He was sleeping, stretched out on his mattress, the sheets tangled around his legs where he had kicked them. She narrowed her eyes, thinking.

_Not placing someone in his bed would result in the genocide of entire cultures._ She crossed the room, feeling the air heat up as she got closer and closer to the bender. She knelt down, realization dawning on her.

_That's it! They are going to put someone into Zuko's bed! They're going to try to get a Fire Lady with an ulterior motive into the throne and then have her influence him!!_ Katara felt a surge of protectiveness. If all the women were like the one she met today, it would be over her dead body!

_Zuko would never be fooled, he is too smart for that!_ Katara told herself, paused, then thought, _Okay, mental note to check out any girls he dates in the future very very carefully._

"'Tara, are you going to watch me sleep all night? It's actually quite unnerving." Zuko asked, not opening his eyes or giving any indication that he was awake.

"No, not ALL night." Katara said, hurriedly, shoving her worries to the back of her mind, "Are you still having a morality crisis?"

"What if I am?"

"I'm not dating Aang, I don't know why I thought I could, he's just such a . . . . kid." Katara put her head in her knees, lacing her fingers into her pulled up hair, "He needs to concentrate on being the Avatar, and I need . . ." Katara trailed off, not knowing how to finish.

Zuko inched over and lifted his arm, in an invitation. She slipped in next to him, lacing her fingers with his as he wrapped his arm around her. Katara sighed loudly, hugging his arm to her tightly. It was all too confusing, too complicated, she was beginning to wish she had never kissed Aang in Iroh's tea shop three months ago. She should have just given him a hug, and told him he had done well, and then left him to watch the sunset.

"Zuko, have girls been flirting a lot with you in the Fire Nation? Like, girls who want to marry you?"

"Why? Are you jealous?"

Katara started, it was the first time either of them had acknowledged their relationship, whatever it was. She felt herself blushing, embarrassed and taken aback. She had no reason to be jealous . . . . other than she suddenly, desperately wanted to be with him, of course.

"No, just wondering." She kept her voice even, trying to play it cool, like she didn't care either way.

"Yes, there are, but they're mostly pretty silly aristocratic girls, like Ty Lee, very few of them are strong and independent, not like you." He kissed the back of her neck, and then relaxed, apparently slipping back into sleep.

He thought she was jealous, that's why he was laying it on so thickly, and she was jealous, but she wasn't JUST jealous. She was worried. She was worried about these Sirens, whatever they were, and she was worried about what they would try to do to him.

Katara lay awake next to him, watching the moon rise through his window, too stressed even to enjoy his skin pressed to hers, and it wasn't until the moon had almost sunk below the horizon that she finally drifted off into sleep.

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"Ty Lee!" Suki knocked on her door, "It's almost nine!"

She heard a mumble in the room that could have been interpreted as a 'come in', and she turned the knob, pressing the door open.

Ty Lee was still in bed, her pillow pressed over her head. She whined loudly as her captain closed the door.

"We've docked at the swamp, You need to get up. I thought the Fire Nation rose with the sun."

"Not when they're hung over . . ." The smaller girl whined.

"Come on," Suki began picking out her cloths, "Come on, put on your lovely pink circus top . . . thing . . . and get your butt out of bed! No more babying for you."

Ty Lee sighed, but responded well to the direct order, she swung her legs out of bed and shuffled across the floor.

"I need a bath . . . I feel gross. Sticky and . . . hungover."

"If you wanted a bath, you should have gotten up when I first knocked on your door an hour ago." Suki scolded.

"I didn't hear you!" Ty Lee pouted.

"You said you were getting up."

"I was asleep when I said that!!"

"Ugh! Get dressed or I'll tell Kisa about the time you got stuck in the sludge of a fire nation drill."

"Katara told you about that?! Oh you wouldn't!"

"Watch me."

"Aye aye, captain." Ty Lee grabbed the cloths out of her hand, "You've mastered the art of blackmail, no wonder your feared and respected by women across the land." Sullenly, she began pulling them on.

"I want you on the deck ready to cast off in a quarter candle mark."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Suki strowed out, making a mental note to send Sokka the next time that Ty Lee had a hangover. Quickening her stride, she made her way out into the sunlight of the deck where Sokka was helping four crewmen lower a boat into the water. It was smaller than an eart Kingdom rowboat, and Suki decided it must be a Water Tribe canoe, it would probably be easier to maneuver among the bangroves than a rowboat.

"Is she getting up?" He asked over his shoulder as he hauled on a rope, "We're just about ready to leave. An old friend came to meet us, he says he can lead us right to Katara and Zuko."

"She is getting up," Suki leaned over the railing to look at the swamp shore. It was not so much a beach but a tree line, their twisted branches jutting straight out of the ocean. Seated cross legged on a rock nearby was a curious man. He wore nothing but a loincloth with leaves sticking out of it, even though he was at least fifty and quite chubby.

"Howdy there miss!!" He called, waving.

"That's my girlfriend Suki." Sokka called, the boat they were lowering hitting the waves with a splash, "Suki, that's Hue. He sort of . . . patrols the swamp."

"Nice to meet you." Suki called back as Ty Lee flopped herself over the railing next to her. As though she wasn't sure if she was going to throw up or not.

Sokka hitched the rope ladder over the side and then jerked his head towards it. "Come on, lets get moving."

Suki swung over the railing and started climbing down the rope ladder, thankful that she had forgone the traditional Kyoshi robes for the scanter red ones. It was damn hot in the swamp, Sokka was already sweating in his sleeveless water tribe vest. As she dismounted the ladder, Ty Lee landed next to her, having somersaulted down from the rail of the ship, and flopped down on one of the seats horizontally, throwing an arm over her face and appearing to go back to sleep. Sokka was the last to arrive, and he settled down and picked up one of the ores, and Suki picked up the other, mimicking her boyfriend's grip.

He settled himself in the stern, "I'll steer, Suki, you just paddle the opposite of me unless we're turning, Ty Lee . . . you just keep doing what you're doing."

"Can do." The acrobat muttered.

Sokka steered it over to Hue's rock and the older man stepped in carefully, settling himself at the bottom of the boat. It sunk several inches into the water.

"Y'all have weird boats down south," he commented, feeling along the side of it curiously.

Ty Lee rested her pounding head on the rim, peering down into the water as they moved. It was dark and murky and gross, and she was sure that there were creepy crawly things wriggling around beneath the surface. The marshes in the Fire Nation were wet, but not slimy and misty like the swamp. Raising her head for a minute, she peered through the vines, looking at the weird auras. The whole place was crawling with colors and shapes, aura bodies moved through the trees with no physical body attached to them. She frowned and put her chin back down on the rail, one was snaking it's way through the reeds towards them.

"Sokka, steer away from that energy field." She warned him, "It's coming right for the side of the boat."

"Ty Lee, there's nothing there, go back to sleep." Sokka told her in a superior tone. The older man, Hue, was looking at her interestedly, but didn't say anything.

Resting her head on the rail, she watched as the bone canoe entered the strange aura field. Nothing happened off the bat, so Ty Lee relaxed, and stared down at her reflection. She frowned, in her reflection, Mai and Azula were standing behind her, and when she hurriedly turned her head and looked in the boat to be one hundred percent positive that she was seeing things, it confirmed it. There were no Fire Nation aristocrats in the boat.

She turned and looked back into the water. They were still there. The Mai-mirage lifted her hand and put it on her shoulder, the Azula-mirage cracked a mischievous smile. They looked happy, even Mai managed a small smile as she affectionately laced her arms around Ty Lee's reflection's neck.

Tentatively, she reached out and touched the surface of the water. Touching her own cheek, creating ripples in the water. Somehow, though she had no memory of it, she must have fell from the boat, because the next thing that she was aware of, she was sinking deeper and deeper into the water.

Ty Lee looked up at the hazy surface of the water, the boat was there, rocking back and forth violently, the sun glistening, and the wavelengths bending. She landed on the bottom on her butt, surrounded by seaweed and fish and mud. Pulling her bangs from her face where they floated, she saw Azula standing in front of her. She was wearing their old Fire Academy uniform, her hands on her hips. She looked cross.

Opening her mouth, Ty Lee tried to greet her old friend, but choked as the swampy water rushed in, and she hastily spat it out.

Traitor. It was written all over the Azula-vision's face. It knelt down and touched her forehead, and Ty Lee was suddenly in excruciating pain, spots danced before her eyes and she let out her breath in a water muffled scream, bubbles rising to the surface from her shout.

_They were back at the Boiling Rock, people were talking but the acrobat heard no sound, only saw their lips move, saw their aura's change. Mai had just betrayed Azula, pinning the guards to the wall and allowing her brother to escape. Azula was yelling, Mai was not flinching. Ty Lee knew what would happen, she had known then and she knew now. Mai had been disloyal one too many times, Azula was going to punish her for it. For not jumping into the swill, for not protecting the bear, for complaining all the time, for ditching her friends for her boyfriend, for letting Zuko and Sokka escape._

_Ty Lee watched as Azula's arm arced up, sparks forming around it. This time, she did nothing, out of fear, out of jealousy, letting her friend throw the punch, letting the fiery blow land. She heard Mai scream, she heard Zuko scream, she turned and saw Sokka and his father holding the prince back and dragging him off the cable car to escape. She saw Mai crumple and hold her face. Azula had turned to the guards and was barking an order, it was all still deathly silent._

_Mai was throwing something, although Ty Lee knew there was no way she could see anything. Azula dodged it and struck again, this time the fire blast caught the goth's cloths, and the princess pivoted and kicked, knocking the girl off the balcony, and into the boiling water below._

_Ty Lee screamed, Azula grabbed her and shook her, getting into her face and yelling. Threatening her. Ty Lee nodded, the princess's aura was black._

_The Fire Nation calmed down soon after, though as Ty Lee watched, her friend was getting more and more unstable. She would snap, or forget something that she shouldn't have. She would confuse Ty Lee with Mai. The acrobat did her best to play along, though she desperately wanted to run away. To go back to the circus. To forget._

_All too soon, the day of the comet came, and Azula took control of the palace, becoming Fire Lord. Ty Lee was by her side throughout. She stood quietly as her friend dismissed and banished everyone in the palace. She knew she should have said something, but Azula would have dismissed her too, and then been left alone to defend the castle._

_They were in the courtyard when Zuko and Katara arrived. He looked . . . scary. Angry. Crazed. The Water bender was with him, holding his arm, trying to keep him in check, and it did appear to be working. His aura of heat dropped a few degrees whenever the tribeswoman touched his arm, but then spiked up again when she released him. His aura also lightened, and Ty Lee wondered what had happened between them after Mai's death that her touches soothed him like that, even at his murderous sister's doorstep. He should have been inconsolable. _

_Azula and he were yelling at each other. Ty Lee sprang into action, going after the water bending woman, somersaulting to avoid the ricocheting fireballs. Katara had gotten quicker, and Ty Lee struggled to get in close enough, she kept getting thrown back by torrent after torrent of water slamming into her. She tried to leap off of a building, but the bricks were slick, and froze as she landed, her feet skidding out from under her. She had enough time to see the ground approaching her very very fast, then she heard a sickening crack, and blackness._

Someone grabbed her wrists, and she opened her eyes, Sokka was there, his shirt was stripped off, and he was maneuvering her arms around his shoulders and pushed off the muddy riverbed, hauling her with him. Ty Lee realized suddenly that her lungs were burning, and she began to struggle, if they didn't get to the surface that instant she would breathe in the entire river.

Their head's broke the surface in a shower of algae and droplets of water. Hue and Suki grabbed Ty Lee's upper arms, and between them managed to haul the saturated acrobat halfway into the boat. She lay on her stomach on the seat board, her knees and legs still dangling in the water and coughed, breathing hard.

". . . you just fell into the water and sunk! Like you were hypnotized! You didn't even struggle, or swim! Can you swim!?" Sokka was treading water, yelling his head off. Suki seemed cross too.

"Course I can swim. It was the aura we entered . . . I saw . . . I don't know what I saw."

"Y'all followed the current of time up a different waterway, ya saw one possible future you could have had if you had chosen differently." Hue told her, he was helping Sokka back into the water, "Sometimes the swamp shows you things, I don't know nothin about no auras, but y'all must have seen the swamp's magic, is all."

Ty Lee nodded, that made absolutely NO sense. Auras were energy, not magic. Magic was something in the spirit world . . . or something.

"You better sit on the floor the rest of the way," Suki told her matter of factually, "Hue, why don't you sit on the seat and keep an eye on her?"

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Katara sighed softly, waking up to Zuko shifting around next to her, getting ready to get up. She grabbed him and hauled him back down.

"Five more minutes."

"Come on, I'm bored, the sun's been up for hours." Zuko said, nicely but firmly, "You can go back to sleep." He tried to pull his arm away.

Their impromptu tug a war was brought short when they heard someone pulling Katara's mat door slide open.

"Katara?! She isn't in here." It was Sokka.

"O'course not, try Zuko's room. Next one o'er there." One of the swamp women was saying.

"She WHAT?!"

Katara squeaked and tried to scramble up out of bed. Sokka would throw a fit if he found her in bed with Zuko. It would be the fit to end all fits!

"KATARA!!" Sokka stormed into the room, his face turning red, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN BED WITH THAT FIRE BENDER!!"

"Umm . . ." Katara had been asking herself that same question for a week.

"Sokka!! Stop yelling at her! She can be in anyone's bed that she wants!!" Suki was hauling on his arm, Ty Lee stood at the doorway rubbing her eyes, and yawning, watching the proceedings miserably.

"I CANT BELIEVE MY OWN SISTER WOULD DO SUCH A THING!! KATARA!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE A PROPER WATER TRIBESWOMAN!!" He was shaking his fist at her, trying to haul away from Suki, who looked about ready to hit him.

"What I do is NONE of your BUISNESS Sokka!! You can be SO PIG HEADED sometimes!!" She shot back, jumping out of the bed and standing up to glare at him.

"PIG HEADED?! KATARA!! YOU'RE SLEEPING WITH ZUKO!!" He turned his rage on Zuko, "I CAN"T BELIEVE YOU TOUCHED MY SISTER!!"

Zuko looked away and mumbled something that might have been an apology or might have been a suggestion for Sokka to shove it. It was too low to be sure.

"DON'T bring him INTO this!!" Katara yelled, "He didn't CORRUPT me or ANYTHING!!"

"Can you guys stop yelling?" Ty Lee asked tentatively, "You're killing my head."

"YOU'RE ACTING LIKE A LOOSE WOMAN KATARA!! ONLY SLUTS SLEEP AROUND BEFORE THEY'RE MARRIED!!" Sokka yelped and doubled over as Suki twisted his arm and pulled it up behind him.

"Only Sluts do? Then what am I?" Suki snapped.

"Don't call Katara a slut!" Zuko jumped out of bed, his fists balled, sparks flying from his mouth.

"Er, I mean, only Water Tribe women that sleep around before marriage are sluts?" Sokka tried. You could take the boy out of the Northern Water Tribe, but you couldn't take the Northern Water Tribe out of the boy. Sokka was really in touch with his heritage.

"Save it Sokka, I KNOW what you meant!!" Suki hissed, "You have a double standard!!"

"Guys please?"

"I DO NOT!!" Sokka yelled, then added, "SHE IS MY SISTER!! WHAT HAPPENED TO MAI? WHAT HAPPENED TO AANG?! WHY ZUKO?! WHY A FIRE BENDER!!"

"It's none of your business!!" Katara yelled, "You LOVE Zuko! He is our friend! He helped you save Suki and our Dad!! You did the SAME thing with Jet!!"

"Um HELLO?! JET was going to FLOOD AN INNOCENT VILLAGE!!"

"Ok, that's it!" Ty Lee jumped and with a few precise jabs, all three of them fell to the floor, their chi blocked, "I'm sorry, I'm really hung over, you guys are making my head ache worse." She looked tentatively at Suki, who shrugged, "Katara, I'm borrowing your bed since you obviously aren't using it." She trudged out.

"Now, maybe we can settle this calmly and rationally . . ." Suki said, hauling her friends up to a sitting position.

Sokka muttered something about fire benders oozing sex and preying on innocent girls.

Suki laughed, a sort of annoyed, but amused laugh, "I do not for one minute believe it was Zuko who initiated this midsummer madness." She turned to Katara, "How have you been coping with that moon time you told me about a few months ago?"

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**So there you have it, Chapter 17. **

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**Toph the knight in shining armor. You know it's true! She is "just the right amount of butch" . . . . Like Katherine Moennig . . . mmmm . . . damn it! Adridere got me started! Someone go read her trashy romance.  
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**Ok, so, spelling mistakes should be fixed, sometimes I mess up names because it spells them one way on Avatar Spirit, and another way on , so I dont know who to beleive anymore.**

**So, I usually go with Avatar Spirit.**

**Because NickBryke, and Brike say that Kataang is meant to be, and I just totally don't beleive that at all. **

**Bryke Zutara Street Cred? Zero.**

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**Read and Review!!**


	18. Chapter 18: The Metaphor

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

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**Author:** BurningIce

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**Rating**: PG

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**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** Does anyone still doubt that I don't own Avatar? The proof is in the pudding. The Zutaraless pudding. Guess what flavor pudding it is? That's right, VANILLA!!

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**Chapter 18: The Metaphor**

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It had been ten whole minutes and Sokka was still muttering about sister-seducing fire-wolves. Katara was starting to develop a twitch in her eyebrow, and Zuko kept scrunching his nose, as though he wanted very badly to pinch it. Suki, the only one with a full range of motion was trying to explain what happened during the pauses between Sokka's half audible rambling.

"We came here because we got a message from Aang, where is it Sokka? In your bag?" She unslung the strap from her crumpled boyfriend's torso, and opened it, rummaging through it.

"Yes . . . Suki be CAREFUL with that!!" He peered anxiously into the bag, "It's a prototype! Very delicate!"

Katara couldn't tell from her angle what it was that Suki needed to handle more gently, but the warrior did seem to ease up on her digging. After what seemed like forever, the redhead pulled out a tiny parchment.

"Here it is," She beamed triumphantly and opened it, "It looks like Aang was shaking pretty bad when he wrote it, there are ink blots and spelling mistakes all over it, and I swear that's a drop of blood urgent . . . Sokka, shut up already? Your sister has a sex drive, get over it, . . . but he does not specifically state what is the matter, just that we all have to get to the Fire Nation . . . maybe I can hold it up . . ." She crawled on her knees closer to Zuko, and held it up in front of his face for him to read, Katara could just make out the blotchy shapes, and Suki was right, it looked like it had been written in an earthquake. Though, Aang was traveling with Toph, it was entirely plausible that it could have been.

". . . murders? A possible international incident? I leave the palace for a few weeks and everything goes to pieces!" Zuko looked alarmed, his voice raising in panic, "Ok, I'm going to have to leave the Swamp," He looked at Katara apologetically, "You should stay, finish learning the swamp water bending."

"Yes! You should stay, nice big ocean between you and Dragon-boy, keep you well away from my sister's honor." Sokka agreed, his teeth clenched together.

"Sokka!" Suki hissed, her brow furrowing and her fist balling up. Katara really wanted her to give him a nice belt in the abdomen for her. Just one. Her finger's twitched, the feeling starting to return. Soon now. Very soon.

"I haven't touched Katara's honor!!" Zuko yelled back, flushing, golden eyes blazing. It was a lie, he had technically touched it, but he hadn't taken it, which was the important part.

"Yea right! All you ever do is chase honor!!" Sokka stuck his jaw out sulkily.

Zuko looked down and away, scrunching his nose and looking longingly at the door, "How long does it last when Ty Lee puts the pinch on you?"

"About a half hour." Katara mumbled, then regretted it. It drew her brother's wrath from Zuko to her, and he began lecturing her on the customs of the water tribes.

"You should be a virgin when you marry!! It is scandalous if you're not! Do you have any idea how much of an insult it is for a Father to present an impure woman to her husband to be? Households have fought for centuries over disrespect like that!!"

"Sokka!! Those are NORTHERN Water Tribe traditions!! It's a lot laxer in the South Pole!!" Katara shot back angrily, "Anyways, any man I marry better care more about what's in my mind then between my legs!!"

Her brother shook his head, "Katara . . . how clueless ARE you?!"

Katara stiffened, he only used that tone when he knew something that she didn't, "What? What happened? Sokka! Tell me now!"

Sokka looked over at Suki pleadingly, but his girlfriend crossed her arms and gesgured to Katara with her head. The Water bender swallowed anxiously.

"We weren't going to tell you this until later, Arnook somehow found out that you and the Avatar are on . . . shaky ground, he and Dad have been talking . . . Arnook thinks we should try to intermarry the families of the two chiefs . . . Dad hates the idea, but knows it needs to be done, for the good of the tribes, and for the good of the peace. Katara! Father is going to introduce you to Arnook's nephew soon . . . and well, he is from the NORTHERN Water Tribe, so, NORTHERN Water Tribe customs apply. So, tell me Katara, did you have sex with him?!"

Katara could feel the blood draining from her face, and the anger rising in her chest, making it hard to breathe.

"Spirits of the Afterlife, May The River Of Fate Have Mercy On Your Soul Sokka, Because I Am GOING to KILL YOU!!" the temperature in the room dropped as the humidity in the air froze. All the surfaces in the room iced over with a layer of frost, and everyone could suddenly see their breath, "I will NEVER marry ANYONE Arnook picks out for me!!"

Sokka's sheepishness vanished, "You're going to refuse?!" He yelled back, "You're going to turn your back on your tribe?!"

"Gran Gran did!!" Katara felt the paralysis wearing off, and with great difficulty she hauled her hands up, "Yue wanted to!! How come it's okay for Princess Yue and not for me?! Oh, I remember! Because she was YOUR girlfriend!!"

"Ty Lee, the pinch is wearing off, get back in here." Suki called over her shoulder.

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT YUE!! THIS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!!"

"Who is Yue?" Ty Lee ambled in, scratching her head.

"This is NOT different!!"

"Yue was marrying a wealthy family so that THEY WOULD GIVE ARNOOK FINANCIAL SUPPORT!!" Sokka surged to his feet, "SHE WAS NOT UNITING TWO TORN TRIBES THAT WERE NEARLY WIPED OUT BY A CENTURY OF WAR!!" His first girlfriend was always a touchy subject with him.

"Wow Sokka, you're so forceful!"

"Sokka!! We came here to deliver Zuko a very important message, and you! You're acting like a toddler!" Suki huffed as she stood up and got between Sokka and his sister.

"If he is acting like a toddler, you should put him in time out!!" Ty Lee advised, "preferably somewhere near Omashu where I won't be able to hear his whining. That's what Mai's mom used to do with Tom Tom when he would act out."

"I'm not a toddler!!" Sokka's glared at Ty Lee, and he took a step away, running into Zuko, who was struggling to his feet, almost knocking them both over.

"Watch it!" Zuko's temper flared, he was already in a fowl mood from Sokka's accusations, and he shoved the younger teenager off him. Most of the frost Katara created melted, and began to drip down the walls as the room temperature rose.

"Don't PUSH me!" Sokka shoved him back.

"Boys, boys! Let's all just calm down!" Suki jumped in between them, pushing Sokka back with both hands while Katara grabbed Zuko's wrists and hauled him to the other side of the room and stepping in front of him protectively. The Fire Prince crossed his arms and looked away.

"He started it!! I am calm!!" Sokka's voice jumped an octave. It tended to go up in pitch whenever he was stressed or excited, and this particular stressful moment was no exception. A vein bulged out from his neck and he flapped his arms for emphasis. "Can't you see how calm I am?!"

"Ty Lee?"

"Hmm?" Ty Lee looked up from where she was spacing out, chewing on her nail and watching the frost drip off the table. She straightened, looking a little guilty, and smiled, though it looked a little forced. "Yes Captain?"

"Take Sokka for a walk around the green until he is calm. Sokka, go for a walk and cool off."

"You're actually ordering her to walk me?! Like a pet?!" Sokka balled his fists, "I didn't even start it!!"

"I don't care who started it! I'm finishing it!" Suki put her hands on her hips.

Ty Lee looked a little taken aback, like she wasn't exactly sure how she was supposed to get Sokka from point A to point B, as he would clearly resist. She took an unsure step towards the Water Tribe boy.

"Ty Lee I dove into the swamp water to save you!!"

"Umm . . . just a little walk? Please Sokka?" Ty Lee clasped her hands together, "We can go look at those nearly topless priestesses that you were ogling while Suki wasn't looking. I know I wouldn't mind giving them a closer inspection." The acrobat raised her eyebrows twice, enticingly.

Suki's glare deepened, "He was what?"

"Actually, a walk doesn't seem like such a bad idea." Sokka gulped, shifting under his girlfriend's gaze. Normally she wasn't the jealous type, but he had a feeling she was looking for another reason to get mad. He followed Ty Lee out and sighed with relief. He was not done with Zuko by any means, and he knew he shouldn't have blurted out anything to Katara about the men hoping that she would agree to get married. They had planned to introduce her to the young man in question and then cross their fingers that she would like him, now she would probably be rude to the unsuspecting Fiancé just to spite them.

He shook his head, he still couldn't believe it. His sister and Zuko . . . It was wrong!! Sokka wonderd briefly how long it had been going on. Had she taken up with the bender in the Western Air Temple?! There had always seemed to be tension between the two of them. He had assumed she hated the scarred prince's guts! He narrowed his eyes, what if she had been overcompensating? Trying to hide a crush?! Or worse!!

"Over there! Oooh, it's so pretty!" Ty Lee grabbed his arm, practically swooning, "It's like they're dancing! It reminds me of the dancing the Fire Nation courtesans would do, only they're bending! Lets go get a better view!"

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"Yes, and then we'll take an airship from Omashu to the palace." Suki said as she helped Katara pack, though it wasn't a big job since the water bender had never truly unpacked.

"Okay."

"What's this stuff?" Suki picked up a skin of something and opened it, sniffing at it, "Smells like tea and berries and . . . swamp. Wait . . . Katara, is this potion what I think it is?"

Katara stared at the skin, she vaguely remembered Yeo bringing it into the room and not taking it back with her. She had been so distracted by a certain scarred fire bender that she had completely forgotten it. Walking over, she took it and tasted it experimentally.

"Yes, it's what you think it is." Katara recapped the skin, "But it's not mine, well, it is mine . . . but another priestess gave it to me because it's mandatory to drink it during your moon spikes . . . you know, just in case your hormones get the better of you."

Suki glanced meaningfully at the mat connecting Katara's room to Zuko's, then gestured to it, then her, then nodded her head, asking a silent question.

Katara shook her head.

Suki made a show of being disappointed, and patted her friend on the arm teasingly. They both started to giggle, amused, though Katara knew that she would be questioned thoroughly as soon as Suki and Ty Lee got her alone. She was dreading it.

"You finished packing 'Tara?"

"Oh? It's ''Tara'?" Suki whispered.

"Yes, we're just about done." Katara hauled her saddlebags onto her back.

"Good, looks like they're done loading the Emu Horses onto a raft, we're probably heading out soon." They heard him exit his room and pad down the hallway.

Suki was helping her fasten her mother's necklace when a Sokka-less Ty Lee came in, looking a little unsettled.

"Where is Sokka?" Suki asked, turning to the smaller girl, "I thought I told you to watch him."

"Well, I put him near some girls who were practicing water bending, it was really pretty by the way, can you do that Katara? I bet you can, you're so talented . . . and well, apparently they don't take kindly to male chauvinist pigs, you know, who say things like 'leave it to girls to bend like they're doing a dance at a brothel'. Sokka didn't catch on right away though, and now he is soaked."

"So? Why isn't he with you?"

"He might also be paralyzed, and frozen to a tree." Ty Lee shuffled her feet, then looked up at her companions, when she saw their disapproving looks she added defensively, "He was really mean!"

"Please go get him Ty Lee."

"Well . . ." Ty Lee started, then stopped as her captain crossed her arms, "You see, I TRIED to, you know, pick him up, bridal and everything, It would be rude to just throw him over my shoulder, ya know? He wouldn't let me! He said that he wasn't going to let a girl carry him! Especially one who'll be lucky if she reaches five foot two, which I though was really mean, I'm self conscious about being short!" She stomped her foot and crossed her arms.

Suki brushed her hair behind her ears and sighed exasperatedly, "Alright, alright, I'll get the big jerk, Ty Lee, you help Katara bring her things to the raft."

Ty Lee nodded relieved and then turned to Katara, "Is he always like that?"

"He used to be worse, I blame the fact that he spent the last several years of his life in a village of only women. He feels like he has to overcompensate or something, like, act manly to the point of ridiculousness so nobody will think that spending so much time without male contact didn't make him effeminate or something." Katara shook her head, "It can get really annoying sometimes, I always wonder how Suki puts up with it, I mean, I have to, I'm his sister, but she doesn't. Maybe she likes putting him in his place or something. He has been getting better though, I think it's just Zuko and me that's put him in such a bad mood."

"Sorry, you lost me at 'village of only women', where did you say you were from again?" Ty Lee teased as she heaved one of Katara's saddlebags over her shoulder with almost ridiculous ease.

Katara smiled and followed the older girl out, her other saddlebag slung over her arm. She was halfway across the moss to the raft when a throng of priestesses surrounded her, quite literally taking her to the ground in something between a group bear hug and a pig pile. She would have been angrier but the ground was soft and squishy, and so were the girls for the most part.

"Y'all were goin ta leave wit'out sayin goodbye Water Tribe Virgin?" one scolded.

"What kind'o friend does that?!"

"Will y'all be comin back?" Yeo asked, "Y'ell be comin back, right?"

"Yes," Katara said it without thinking, but she knew it was true. She wanted to master swamp style, and she wanted to be around other sister benders, she wanted to learn how to read minds properly, and not just a crash course. "Yes, I will be back," Katara smiled, and in a rare showing of good humor, attempted a dirty joke, "When will the next full moon be?"

The girls laughed, then quieted and watched Suki carrying a sulking Sokka across the green, her arms looped under his knees and arms. His fingers were twitching, his face was flushed, and he didn't look at her. Katara felt vaguely bad for him, she would have felt worse if he hadn't just humiliated her in front of two of her girl friends and her . . . fire bender. Sokka always seemed to have such a bad time in the foggy swamp. Probably has something to do with all the sarcasm and meat.

While Katara was brushing the stuck on moss off her stomach, she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She turned and saw Vel, standing awkwardly, a walking stick sunken in the moss to help her.

"Katara, you leave us so soon?"

Katara nodded, feeling guilty, she must have spent ten times as long in the North Pole learning from Master Pakku. She moved her hands to a namasté and bowed.

"I have studied the currents, and great danger lies ahead for you child, even though it does not seem so at the moment." The woman returned the gesture, "Mind your stance and remember what grounds you. It is so easy to lose your mind inside another's, and the mind of a madman is like a hurricane, it may pick you up and blow you somewhere you do not wish to go.

Katara nodded.

"If this does happen, it is essential that your friends do not break the contact of the stance, or you could be trapped inside another's mind forever. Just remember, nothing is real, nothing can hurt you, it is only an illusion of pain, of damage, that your real body is safe and sound in the care of your trusted friends. However if you believe that the pane is real, your body may react like it is, I have known healers who stop breathing because they think they're drowning, or their very heart stops beating because they think they are dead. Remember you're safe, remember you're loved."

"Thank you Arca Vel, you don't know how much you're helping us, and I promise, I will be back to finish learning everything properly."

"I don't doubt it."

"You ready Katara?" Suki called out over the grass, "We want to make it to Omashu by nightfall!!"

"I'm coming!" Katara called over her shoulder, bowed one last time to her Sifu, accepted a few final hugs from the gaggle of girls that she had given lessons to, and then she jogged over and swung herself up onto the raft.

Three muscular, topless swamp men that Ty Lee was noticeably ogling were bending the raft under Fae and Hue's guidance, so Katara settled down between the acrobat and the Fire Lord. There was a tense, heavy silence that hung over the group as the craft slid through the waves.

"I have an idea." Ty Lee said suddenly, breaking the quiet.

"Send out the messenger hawks, Ty Lee had an idea." Sokka grumped sarcastically.

"I think you boys should both give each other a compliment. You know, to clear up the bad blood in the air, everyone likes compliments." Ty Lee nodded knowingly.

"No." both the young men said in unison.

"Oh, come on, it's easy, I do it all the time . . . like, Suki, I'm sleeping with your little sister, right?"

"Right." Suki grinned all of a sudden, as though she got an inside joke.

"She's what now?" Zuko asked, looking questioningly at Katara.

The water bender shrugged. It was the first she'd heard of it, though most everyone knew about Ty Lee's lack of a preference.

"But, we're still friends, right?"

Katara could see the double metaphor that the two warrior women were plating at, that she was Kisa, Zuko was Ty Lee, and Sokka was Suki. By the way Sokka had started poking at his boots and Zuko was pressing his chest, they had too.

"That we are." Suki agreed, "Though it did come as a bit of a shock, but, I guess not THAT much of a shock. We all saw the warning signs, you two started spending more and more time together, or avoided each other completely, Kisa would always want to do chores with you or try to bully you into doing her chores for her. You did too, I remember, you wanted to do things for her so she would like you, and spar, you'd always be fighting, and tag team with you, like, you guys were inseparable on the battlefield. You were the best fighting duo in the warriors in no time!"

"Well, you know how it is, fighting someone is almost like sleeping with them, it's just as intimate sometimes." Ty Lee straightened her legs and touched her toes, stretching as she talked. Katara blushed, remembering the first time she had ever fought Zuko, back in the North Pole by the Spirit Oasis, the rush of the adrenaline, the mix of anger and fear and smugness. Definitely smugness when she was winning. Though in his defense, he had had to fight his way there first, he was probably cold and tired by the time he reached her.

"I remember suspecting you might have had a crush on her when you first joined the Kyoshi, you would bend over backwards trying to please her."

"Literally." Ty Lee agreed.

"You would fetch her things she needed, you would always try to sit next to her, you would wait up for her if she had guard duty, you'd make her tea, and take off your top a lot when she was around. But I remember, at first she never would give you the time of day, because you were fire nation and you still were a bit upset about your last girlfriend . . . umm," Suki realized suddenly that Zuko might not know about Ty Lee's past relationship with his ex girlfriend, "You know, that acadamy girl, but mostly because you were fire nation."

"Wait, don't you mean-" Sokka started, but Ty Lee cut him off.

"Yea, I really had to prove myself there, she hated my guts for a while in prison, especially since I had helped throw her in there. That sort of betrayal so early on, it's hard to win back someone's trust after that." Ty Lee noticed that the Fire Lord's good cheek was flushing pink, and she forged ahead, "but I did, we really bonded, and of course I was attracted to her right off the bat, the second I saw her, my body jumped to attention, I purposefully tried not to engage her in the group fight because I knew she would be distracting. And then you and Sokka caught us in bed together that night, and then Sokka-"

"I get it! I know what happened! I was there!" Sokka pouted then grudgingly muttered something under his breath that might have been a compliment.

"Pardon?" Zuko held his hand to his ear, his blush still very noticeable.

"I guess I like your hair, what happened to it?" Sokka asked.

"Katara happened to it." Zuko shifted.

"I like it," Sokka lowered his head, his lips sagging in grudging obedience, "It looks very Water Tribe."

"Zuko, don't you have something to say?" Ty Lee clasped her hands together, excited that they were making progress.

"Umm . . . I guess I like your sense of humor Sokka . . . nobody ever laughs at my jokes." Zuko muttered, looking away and scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"I think we should clap!" Ty Lee raised her hands to do so.

"Is that really necessary?" Katara asked, half of her nose crinkling.

"But all along, I knew Kisa secretly had a thing for me, because she could have ignored me entirely, treated me like I didn't exist, that's what any sane woman would have done. GIven me the silent treatment, but she went out of her way to give me attention, even if it was negative, she would come by my room even sometimes, at night, to try to intimidate me, she wouldn't knock either, she told me later she was always secretly hoping to catch me undressing and-"

"I think we should clap." Katara cut in suddenly.

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June was sitting with her back to the wall under the street torch where Ursa had left her, she was brooding, taking a swig from a bottle every few minutes. She was playing a game with herself that involved drawing lines in the dirt of the road with a stick. Nyla was curled up and napping, her nose tucked under her tail like a huge, sightless puppy.

"I thought I told you not to drink?"

"I thought you told me you would be an hour." June recapped the bottle and stood up, pointing a wobbly accusing finger, "It's been nearly three!"

"I was as fast as I could be." Ursa regarded the younger girl quizzically, then pulled out a rolled parchment from her cloak, "If you give this message to Piandao, he should agree to take you on as an apprentice."

June took it and began untying the ribbon wrapped around it.

"Don't open it!" Ursa took it out of the tipsy woman's fingers and put it in Nyla's saddlebags for her, "It's private, just for him to read."

"Whatever," June shrugged and patted Nyla, mostly so that she had something to help her balance as she got from the wall to the saddle, but she didn't want the middle aged fire woman to know that. It took her three tries to get up, and she nearly overshot it the third time and nearly fell off Nyla's other side. She gripped the large, grey pommel of the saddle with both hands, steadying herself.

"You understand that this wont be fun? Piandao wont go easy on you like he does most of his pupils, he is angry and will ride you hard, and not think twice about throwing you out if you disobey or protest or sass him."

"I'm no delicate flower."

"Would you like me to ride with you?" Ursa asked, swinging up onto her ostrich horse, the torchlight flickering across her face making her look sinister.

"You ain't my type." June snapped.

"No, I mean, you look a little unsteady, and it's a long way to fall off your Shirshu." Ursa elaborated, wondering if June was one of those lesbian-for-the-night drunks.

"I'm twenty six, I don't need to be mothered!" June picked up the reigns and squeezed her legs into Nyla's sides, signaling it was time to walk on. She shirshu grunted and began padding, following the slightly confusing directions of the reign tugs on it's halter. Who did that woman think she was?! You know, besides the rightful fire lady . . .

June clicked her tongue, indicating to her mount it was to start picking up the trail again, and Nyla obediently began snuffling around, heading west. June had a feeling that they would be crossing over to the Fire Nation soon enough, so there was little need to actually make Nyla smell the whole way, but the Fire Lady was watching, so she had to at least maintain some level of professionalism.

June took another swig of brandy, deciding that professionalism could go fuck itself.

"So what were you doing for three hours?" June asked after about an hour of silence, the moon was high, and if Nyla had not gotten a good nap in while she had been waiting for the idiot woman, she would be insisting they stop and make camp for the night.

"Is that the one question you wish to ask me?" Ursa pulled her cloak hood further over her head as June looked down at her.

"No, it's just a question." June snapped, "One I have every right to know the answer to since I ended up waiting for you in the lower ring all that time."

Ursa shrugged, "Just talking to an old friend, one I have not seen in years, one I doubt I shall see again anytime soon."

"Nyla?"

The beast tilted it's head up orienting it's ear onto her.

"Does Ursa smell different?"

The shirshu wagged her tail and barked once.

"Does she smell like the middle ring?"

Nyla shook her head back and forth, and opened and closed her mouth.

"The upper ring?"

The wagging began again, this time accompanied with a vigorous nod of the head, as though the strange beast was proud that it could understand and respond.

"Does she smell like . . . . umm . . . wha's that place with the thing? " June trailed off, trying to think of what she remembered the upper ring had, she had only visited once, and not stayed long. Her kind of unruly personality was better suited to the middle and lower rings.

"How long will this guessing game last?" Ursa asked, a persnickety tone entering her voice. The drunker the bounty hunter got the more and more apparent a strange accent in her voice was becoming.

June took another shot from her bottle and then hiccupped, "Oh, I dunno, 'n hour or two, depends 'ow long it takes me ta guess right."

Ursa rolled her eyes and looked ahead again. She wished a brutal hangover on her annoying but necessary traveling companion.

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"Where have you BEEN?!" Mai greeted her at the door, her arms crossed, "What the HELL happened to you?!"

"What are you talking about?" Azula brushed by her, limping towards her room in quite a horrible temper. She was bleeding still in her mouth, and had had to spit every few minutes on the walk back, she was also quite sure her rib was cracked from when the earth bender had pitched her against the wall. Straightening, she reminded herself that at least she didn't have a hideous ugly scar spanning her face like some people.

"You're limping, you're covered with bruises! You've been gone half the night!! I was worried sick!!" Mai followed her, her voice rising in volume.

"Worried about yourself, no doubt." Azula spat, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

"You still haven't answered my question," Mai crossed her arms, regaining her composure, "Where did you go."

"Just out for a walk." Azula lied, not even the blind earth bender could tell when she was lying, and Mai was no different, "Ran into some men who thought they could rough up an unarmed girl in the middle of the night and use her for their own sick pleasure." Azula grinned, plucking at the spatters of blood on her shirt, "It's a mistake they wont be capable of making a second time. I took a few souvenirs."

Mai chewed her lip, looking back and forth, not sure if what she was hearing was the truth, "Why did you go out for a walk?"

Azula frowned, annoyed, "I couldn't sleep." It was always better to go with a truth when you could, it made the lies even harder to find. If you did have to lie, however, you had to believe it while you were saying it. You had to be the lie, or else your body would betray you.

"I couldn't sleep either, I'm cold It's freezing in this place." Mai complained, "Why did we have to pick a place that's so high up?"

"Because it was a good place," Azula agreed though, it was freakin freezing, it was the altitude.

"Warm up the room."

Azula's eyebrow twitched.

_Agni, was this what Zuko had to put up with?!_ _The complaining, the bossiness, the attitude as frigid as the air?_

No wonder he dropped her for the water bending skank. She had been planning to bend the room hotter, but once Mai had given her an order, she didn't want to. She gave Mai orders, not the other way around! It was annoying her that she was finding it harder and harder to keep control over her one time minion. Mai kept wanting to do things her way, wanting to ask questions, ordering her to do things. It was stupid. She was the princess, she led the group, she gave the orders.

Unfortunately discretion was the better part of valor.

She bent the room hotter.

"I'm staying here tonight with you." Mai informed her, sliding into the Princess's bed, "Tomorrow we'll look for a better place to stay."

"It's fine here." Azula argued, her face contorting in anger, "What are you playing at?!"

Mai looked bored, "Nothing," She laced her fingers behind her head, "Nothing at all."

Azula grunted, frustrated, the room temperature rising further, and paced back and forth. It didn't matter, not REALLY. Ursa would find her, wherever she was. Ursa would chase her to the end of the earth. Azula knew it. She slid into bed next to Mai, turning onto her good side, annoyed that it meant she had to face her.

"Fine, we move out tomorrow." Azula agreed, "Who knows, maybe we'll find a local inn to stay at, or your family's summer house near the beach? Or we could go searching for dragons."

"If you want." Mai said, noncommittally. The aristocrat's eyes were already closing, and she turned away from her friend. She didn't think that Azula would try anything, but she kept one hand resting on her favorite stiletto never the less.

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"Wow! Isn't this exciting guys?" Ty Lee had regained much of her usual enthusiasm after another long nap on the raft. She had nodded off soon after their conversation lapsed, and had eventually collapsed onto Katara's shoulder, much to Zuko's jealously.

"What? You mean, getting off the raft and onto the boat?" Sokka asked, perplexed.

"Noo, I mean, it'll be like we have the old gang back together . . . sort of . . ." She leapt, twisting in the air and landing neatly on the railing of the huge ship. Dropping to a crouch on the thin piece of wood, she watched as the others climbed up the rope ladder.

"You were never really a part of the 'old gang'" Zuko told her as he climbed into the boat, "That was pretty much Aang, Katara, Toph, and Sokka."

"Don't forget Appa and Momo." Katara reminded him, straightening her loincloth and brushing some hair behind her ears.

"Katara, maybe you should go change." Sokka grabbed her arm and sort of awkwardly stepped in front of her, "The crew is staring."

"With good reason too." Ty Lee said in a matter of factual voice, "I wasn't going to say anything, but that top has to be at least one cup size to small! You're practically falling out! Or you would be if it wasn't so tight!"

Katara covered her chest with her hands, blushing profusely, "The swamp temple uniform is sort of 'one-size-fits-all so squeeze your Water Tribe chest into it'."

"Don't feel bad, I'm sure some of them are watching for the occasional panty shot you flash with a skirt cut so short." Suki teased, taking her friend by the arm and starting to lead her across the deck, "Ty Lee, baby sit Sokka and Zuko while we go get changed!" She ordered over her shoulder.

"Why do I have to baby sit?!" Ty Lee protested, hopping off the rail in indignation.

Suki ignored the complaint, and hauled Katara down into the hold.

Ty Lee glared at them, feeling something that could almost be called annoyance if you rounded up, "That's great! Just great! I am missing a naked Katara because of you too!" she blurted out.

They both glared at her, Zuko in jealousy, Sokka in defense. She watched as Sokka's fingers slowly curled into fists and Zuko's nostrils flared, exhaling a gust of impossibly hot air.

"I mean . . . umm . . ." Ty Lee thought fast, "Umm . . . so, who here wants to hear an embarrassing story about Azula when she was in the Academy? Yes?"

Katara glanced over her shoulder, she heard Ty Lee squeal, and then pounding feet across the deck above her.

"Maybe we should . . ."

"Nah, she is fine, at least they're chasing her and not each other" Suki pushed open the door to her and Sokka's room and sat down on her bed, pressing her lips together and studying the water bender.

Katara found her luggage on the floor and pulled it open, digging around for her favorite blue chemise. "How is that better?"

"Well, I highly doubt either of them could actually catch her, what with her somersaulting up the masts, and they're just going to exhaust themselves trying so they'll be too tired to fight later."

Katara nodded, she could see the female logic to it.

"So . . . spill."

Katara sighed, she had known it was coming, she just had been hoping it would come a bit later. She pulled her leggings up and adjusted her belt, and then flopped down on her back next to Suki, staring up at the ceiling. Somehow not looking at the other girl made it less uncomfortable.

"I don't know how it happened . . ."

"Well, that's a first, usually the 'how' is the easiest bit to explain, it's the 'why' that's the difficult part." She could see Suki smile and examine her nails out of the corner of her eye.

"Well, I don't know why it happened, or when, or what changed . . . I mean, we're so different, and he is so . . . I don't know, and I thought . . . I thought I hated him." Katara pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead, things had not been this confusing with Aang or Jet.

"It's surprisingly easy to mistake love for hate. I thought I hated Sokka when I first met him . . . well, at least I thought I really didn't like him, and that he was a jerk."

Katara took a deep breath, "I guess, I guess it was just easier to hate him. Well, it was until we started spending time together, and, and then we kissed in the cave of two lovers, and . . . ." Katara looked away, "It was the best kiss I had ever had . . . it was so . . ." she tried to think of a word to describe it.

"Hot?" Suki sampled for her.

"No."

"Passionate?"

"No."

"Hungry?"

"Comfortable."

"Comfortable?" Suki asked, obviously disappointed. Above them Zuko and Sokka pounded across the deck again, only now Ty Lee was laughing.

"Yes, like, I wasn't going to scare him, like, he wasn't going to break in my arms. I felt like I could be rough . . . spirits know how rough we would get when we would fight each other . . . and it was nice. I always had to be so gentle and instructive with Aang. Like I was Sifu Katara teaching classes in water bending and sex education."

Suki nodded, twirling her hair around her index finger.

"Then the swamp . . . I don't know, It was so hot, and wet, and relaxed . . . something in the stuff they gave us to drink and to smoke, it just made me . . . forget, I guess, forget about Aang, forget about Mai, forget that I should be a . . . a . . . proper Water Tribe girl." Katara spat the last four words out with a certain amount of venom. It had been so liberating in the swamp to not have to worry about being judged a slut or leered at, or bothered by catcalling sailors.

"Are you two, umm, dating?" It seemed like a silly classification to both of them. In their lifestyles there was not really any going on dates.

"Well, we didn't talk about it, it was just sort of, assumed by everyone that we were lovers . . ." Katara sat up, running her fingers through her hair, "He hasn't actually said 'Katara, be my girlfriend?' but then again, Aang never did either . . ." She flopped backwards onto her back.

"So, what about Aang?" Suki asked curiously, crossing her legs.

"I don't want him to know. Not yet." Katara answered so quickly she nearly tripped over her words as she spoke them, "I don't want him to know for a while."

"You cant just keep it a secret Katara." Suki advised the younger girl, "It will upset him more if he finds out you lied to him."

"It's . . . it's only been a fortnight." The tribeswoman's voice became pleading, "I think Aang still thinks we're going to get back together . . . I think I did too . . . until . . ."

"I know, until you discovered that there's a difference between having a boy in your bed and having a man in your bed." Suki stood up, motioning with her head, "Come on, let's go back to the deck and see if our men have gotten tired of playing 'Chase the Acrobat'."

"Well, it's not like he is a LITTLE boy . . ." Katara tried, studying her toes.

Suki patted her shoulder, not saying anything, then seemed to think of something, "Katara, what do you know about air benders?"

"Like . . ."

"Like anything."

"Umm, they're pale, they're flexible, they're spiritual, they're short, they've got small bones so they can fly better . . . Aang is fast, they're probably all fast, they have tattoos, they're monks, they lived in Air Temples, like, what in particular Suki?"

Suki shrugged, "I'll tell you later."

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**Okay, so there you have it, next installment, I hope you like it.**

**Sorry it took a while, I have been distracted by doing Avatar fan art, and art, and some fan fic fan art, and school, And, you know, life.**

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**So I hope there aren't too many mistakes, I have come to the conclusion that I can't spell. It's just not one of my inborn talents. **

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**Whoo!! Adridere's latest chapter is . . . for me . . . :tear:**


	19. Chapter 19: The Palace

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** BurningIce

**Rating**: PG-13

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** Avatar the Last Air bender belongs to Bryke and Nick; Zutara simply belongs.

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**Chapter 19: The Palace**

Zuko and Sokka were both panting, slumped back to back on the deck of the ship. Ty Lee stood nearby, just out of reach, and just within somersaulting distance of one of the railings. The crew of the ship had been making themselves busy doing odd jobs on the deck, mostly so they could watch the show. One had been dunking and wringing out the same rag for twenty minutes.

"Damn it, this isn't manly!" Sokka hissed at Zuko.

". . . and THEN Azula said 'Mai, if you don't stop that right now, I am going to read that poetry you write to my brother.' And Mai stopped so fast it wasn't even funny, except that it was really funny!" Ty Lee stretched one of her calves up over her shoulders, "Did she ever end up reading you the dark stuff she writes?"

"No." Zuko mumbled, narrowing his good eye.

"I remember she left one of her notebooks out once and I looked at it, it went, like umm . . . 'As I sit and stare across the blackness of the ocean, I think of all the times you never noticed me. Then it rains, like it does in my heart, and the wind whips across the water, like you never would. When will my prince come?' Then there was a drawing of a sad faced cloud raining rain drops shaped like little broken upside down hearts onto a little stick figure Mai. Me and her had quite a bad fight that afternoon, because I was annoyed that she wasn't over-" Ty Lee suddenly seemed to remember that Zuko was there, "Because um, she wasn't studying hard." He didn't know about Mai's other Fire Academy hobbies besides poetry and now did not seem to be the opportune time to enlighten him about them. They had learned from Sokka that big news like that had to be delivered delicately, even if it was an ex girlfriend and not a current one.

"You're exaggerating Ty Lee." Sokka said, picking at a splinter and grimacing, trying to draw attention away from the sudden change of sentence ending.

"No, cross my heart, that's what her poetry sounded like, all unemotional and dark. The syllables aren't even right, it's supposed to go five, seven, five," The acrobat unwound herself and dropped down to sit cross legged next to them, "Not, three, eight, the hell with it."

"I call it easy, like I paddle my canoe, I'll paddle yours too . . ." Sokka mumbled from where he was sitting, and they both looked at him questioningly. Sokka waved his hand up and down, dismissing it, "Long story."

"Well, our guidance counselor said it was perfectly normal for a thirteen year old girl." Ty Lee continued, forging on with her original story about Mai, "Though, that was her answer to EVERY girl problem, 'don't worry, it's a phase, it's normal, you'll outgrow it.'"

"See Zuko? It's perfectly normal. Now, why would you want to give up all that? It sounds great, you guys could sit in dark corners, write dark poetry, have dark conversations about how dark you are."

"Darkly." Ty Lee added for emphasis, doing a remarkably good impression of her friend. Putting her chin in her hand, looking down and off to the side and sighing.

Zuko said nothing, he leaned forward off of Sokka and put his head on his knees, figuring that not answering at all would probably be the best strategy. The Tribesman turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"Why Katara? Why MY sister?" Sokka repeated, "You're the Fire Lord!! You could have any girl you wanted!"

"You know, most girls are somebody's sister, Sokka, and they all have boyfriends anyways." Mediator-Ty Lee cut in, "It's not like it's personally insulting you, in fact, it's a compliment, right Zuko? Like . . . I like you so much I'm going to date your sister!" She nodded vigorously, prodding the ex prince with a toe making it clear that he should join in on the conversation before she entirely crashed and burned.

"Sorry Sokka, When I first met her . . . I never thought I could like her like that . . . I never thought I did like her like that . . ." Zuko mumbled past his knees, his fingers tracing along the rough, scarred skin of his chest.

"Why?! Cause she was a 'Water Tribe Peasant'? Thought you were too good for her?" Sokka asked, suddenly defensive.

"No . . ." Zuko scratched the back of his head, "Yes . . . Maybe . . . I don't know . . ."

"Hmm . . . .Maybe, at first, the thoughts you thought you thought about Katara weren't actually the thought you thought, it was the thought you thought that you should be thinking, so, instead you thought one thing and you were so busy thinking that thing that the something that you were actually thinking and didn't just think you were thinking was covered up by the other thought that you thought you were thinking." Ty Lee explained matter of factually.

". . . . What?" Sokka asked as an eyebrow rose in perplexed cynicism.

"And then, when you followed them to the Western Air Temple, you were so used to thinking the thoughts that you thought you thought instead of the thoughts you really thought that you just pretended that you didn't think anything about her at all, but actually, you were thinking about her all the time, you just wrote off the feelings you felt to hormones or something, right?"

"Umm . . ." Zuko squinted at her.

"No, stay with me boys, it totally makes sense now!" Ty Lee clapped her hands together, "Wow! I totally understand how you feel now Zuko. I totally get what you've been going through, it must have been so confusing."

"Oh it was nothing compared to how bewildered I am now." The scarred lord told her, crossing his legs and looking at her with his good eye.

"I think she means denial isn't just a river in Si Wong anymore." Sokka, who was good at piecing things together explained.

"Well! That's for sure." Psychoanalyst-Ty Lee grinned, very pleased with herself, "Of course you liked her when you first met her, but she was in league with the Avatar, so you saw her as something that stood between you and your crown, and therefore, an enemy. So you hated her, like you logically thought that you were supposed to, but you're heart or body or whatever isn't logical, and it was saying 'exotic, strong 'n sexy water tribe woman? Yes please!' Textbook really."

"That doesn't make any sense," Zuko bickered, "What textbook?!"

"The textbook of LIFE." She retorted, crossing her arms and straightening, then scolded Zuko, "Stop arguing with me about the way that I say you feel. It's the way you feel, accept it."

"So how do I feel?" Sokka asked conversationally after a brief pause in which they all reflected on their innermost, most secret needs and misgivings.

"You feel like you should apologize, but you are too proud to, but will at least try to stop grumping openly about things." Ty Lee straightened, putting her hands on her hips.

"You read that in my aura?"

The Acrobat gone Kyoshi turned to face away from them then lowered herself into a back bend, "I didn't have to, it's written all over your face."

Sokka muttered something about a fortuneteller and a volcano that neither of the other two understood, then tuned to Zuko and extended his hand, "Truce for now?" Ty Lee had pretty much apologized for him, he didn't have to too, right?

Zuko clasped his friend's wrist, "Truce for now."

"For now." Sokka repeated for emphasis.

"Hey, Ty Lee, what did you do to our boys?" Suki asked, amused, as she and Katara stepped out of the hold. Katara shifted uneasily, not sure about whether or not the 'our boys' comment in front of Sokka was a good idea.

Zuko watched them walk over and was disappointed to see that Katara had pulled on her favorite blue water tribe top and leggings, although they were cute and practical, they were not HIS favorite.

"Nothing! We went for a run, then expressed ourselves . . . it was great! We made a lot of progress." Ty Lee winked at Katara and gave her a thumbs up.

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Toph was not the worst person in the world to be sleeping next to. Really. She wasn't! In fact, she was in Aang's limited opinion, one of the better people to be sleeping next to. She didn't snore like Sokka, she didn't talk like Katara, she didn't hog the covers like a young Bumi, she didn't even sleep kick or sleep punch like you would expect her to because she was Toph. Unfortunately, the thing she did do was sprawl out over what seemed like miles and miles of unnecessary mattress. It was surprising there was enough Toph to cover the amount of space she was taking up.

He couldn't really hold her at fault for it, he had slept near her a bunch of times and he knew in general the splayed sort of recline she had. The problem was she also had no concept of sleeping personal space, most people would, well, stay on their side. Toph had definitely sleep-commandeered the bed, and as she rolled over closer and closer, he had moved further and further away from her, and it didn't take long until he was laying on his back at the edge of the bed, the earth bender stubbornly pressed up against him.

_For the love of the spirits she has six feet of bed to her left!_ He thought tiredly, finally putting forth a feeble attempt to push her back onto her side. She grumbled something in her sleep and rolled over, splaying her arm and a leg out almost perpendicular to her body.

_Finally_, Aang thought and relaxed. He closed his eyes and sighed happily, snuggling back down into the covers. He was just drifting off to sleep when one of Toph's arms slung over his stomach again. He groaned, flinching at the surprising impact. He tried to get up, but the earth bender's grip tightened, and he collapsed backwards in defeat.

_Whatever. Sooner or later she will migrate over me and onto the floor_. Aang decided, closing his eyes again. It was logical enough.

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It had taken the better part of the early evening to unload their things from the boat to the airship that had been waiting for them at Omashu. Everyone was a bit wound up from the effort and nobody except Zuko, (who set about the same time as the sun) had felt much like going to bed quite yet. Ty Lee and Sokka were playing a game that Katara did not recognize, involving many bits of wood with different symbols on them. Probably some sort of Kyoshi game. That had just left her and Suki. They had sat together on a big cushion near a circular window, where Katara filled her in on what had happened between Ba Sing Se and the swamp. Well, most of it. Suki had been scared to hear that her friend had lost her bending during her moon time, and had insisted they start doing Kyoshi drills right away.

"Do I have to wear the dress and makeup like last time?" Katara asked, a little unhappily. "It's too late at night to start putting on big skirts and eyeliner."

"No, best to train in what you usually wear." Suki paused, "You two into doing some drills?"

"Naw, I'm winning," Ty Lee answered, her eyes locked on their chips.

"Naw, you always make me wear the dress no matter what time of night it is." Sokka watched his opponent fiddling with one of the playing pieces. The girls exchanged a look, and Suki shrugged, trying to look innocent.

"I thought she only made you wear the Kyoshi cloths once?"

"Yea, I mean, you always make me wear the dress that one time that you made me wear the dress on Kyoshi Island." Sokka's eyes shifted back and forth, daring someone to contradict him.

Suki shrugged and led Katara out into the hallway, "He just looks so cute in the dress . . ." She explained, looking sheepish, "I can never resist."

"Hey, whatever floats your boat." Katara held her palms up, "It's not like I never dressed Aang up in Kyoshi cloths . . . though that was for a good cause!" She added quickly as Suki grinned in a less than innocent way, "We were trying to channel Avatar Kyoshi!"

"Okay, show me your stance."

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Katara flopped down on her bed, face first into the pillows. She had forgotten how difficult it was to do the Kyoshi drills, and Suki did not go easy on her since they both knew that the next new moon was rapidly approaching. She pressed her fingers into her back, massaging circles through the tender muscles. What she wouldn't give for a warm rubdown from a dark and broody fire bender. Maybe some kisses thrown in there too . . .

She looked out the window, it wasn't THAT late. It wasn't so late that it was early . . well, THAT early. She slipped her feet out of bed. She could just go visit him, and maybe complain about being sore, maybe he would offer if she exaggerated a bit. Slipping her feet out of her shoes, she padded soundlessly over to the door. He woke up before anyone else, she could ask him to send her back to her room before her brother got up.

Katara smiled, she liked the sound of the plan, good start, good finish, low risk, high profit. Wrapping her fingers around the latch she pressed out into the hallway and ran straight into Sokka.

Sokka who was heading suspiciously in the direction of Suki's room.

"Where are you going Katara?" He asked accusingly before she could open her mouth.

"What? Um, you know, the deck to get some air." She lied, "Where are YOU going?"

"Er, same." Sokka laced his fingers behind his head, trying to look innocent. The problem was his 'innocent face' usually looked pretty guilty.

"Really? Cause the deck is that way." She pointed back the way he had come.

"Well, I was taking the long way there, making sure there are no . . . pirates . . . there have been sky pirates in the area, and I wanted to protect all of you. You never know when there could be a sneak attack." Sokka straightened, if he was going to lie, apparently he was going to go all out.

"Well, I guess we should walk together." Katara agreed, if he was going to chaperone her, she was going to return the favor. She blamed Zuko, nobody seemed to get any when he was around, accidentally or on purpose, he needed a shirt that said 'Lord Zuko, Cock Blocker Extraordinaire'.

"So, the weather is pretty nice." Sokka remarked as they walked out into the silvery moonlight.

"Very nice." Katara agreed.

"The Moon looks pretty." Sokka shifted back and forth, Katara hoped Suki gave him a horrible punishment for being late for their rendezvous.

"Very pretty." Katara agreed, leaning her elbows on the railing looking out past the hot air balloon to the clouds beyond.

"You know, maybe I'll go back to bed."

"I'll walk you."

"No!" Sokka coughed, "I mean, no, no, you stay and enjoy the night and the moon. I know how you benders love the moon."

"I know how you love the moon too." Katara snapped back, and then regretted it, Sokka's eyes glazed a little bit and then he looked away. She could see it had reminded him of a painful memory. Katara took her foot out of her mouth and tried to apologize.

"Sokka, I didn't mean it like that. I think she has moved on and it's only natural for you to do the same." Katara wrapped her arms around her brother in a friendly, comforting sort of way. She squeezed his torso, and he put an arm around her shoulder, resting his chin on her head.

"Of course she moved on . . . she's dead . . ." He mumbled, "Not like she is moping in the afterlife."

Katara thought back to the Swamp women and their ceremony to bring down the moon. She thought of how sad the moon had seemed, Katara begged to differ, Yue WAS moping around the afterlife, but there was not much Sokka could do about it. He was mortel.

"Maybe we should get Suki, and you guys can cuddle and talk for a while until you feel better." She suggested gently, steering her brother around so his back was to the moonlight, so he was looking away from the past and on towards the future.

"Katara, that's not manly." He argued, but allowed himself to be led back across the deck. Katara wistfully pushed any thoughts of fire-snuggles that night to the back of her head as they did not seem likely. Sokka needed company, and unless she enlisted the circus performer, (who she suspected at this point to be drinking in the bilge with the crew) it would have to be her.

"Come on, I'll walk you back to your room." Katara told him.

"I'll walk you back to yours." Her brother corrected.

"I wanted some air!" Katara defended, wondering if her 'lying face' was as revealing as Sokka's was. She assumed it wasn't because it was more convenient. She let herself be led to her room, and then she listened out the door to see if Sokka was patrolling. He wasn't, so she assumed he had gone to bed.

Settling down her back to the headboard, she glanced out the window as the clouds went by, timing in her head how long it had been. She decided to give Sokka about a half an hour to fall asleep, and then she would try again. Katara was nothing if not persistent.

Standing up again, she slunk back over to her door, but before she could reach the handle, somebody knocked. Katara grinned and hauled open the door.

"Finally! I was just on my way to your room . . . . Ty . . . Lee?"

"Were you? This late?" Ty Lee pushed past her, shoving her pillow into the water bender's arms as she went, "What for?"

"Um, no reason . . . I can't help but notice, you . . . you have your pillow . . . and your blankets . . ."

"My room's next to Suki's," Ty Lee explained and tossed her blankets down on the ground, "And the walls are really thin, can I bunk with you tonight?"

"The walls are . . .thin?" Realization dawned on Katara, and she threw her friend's pillow across the room, "That jerk!!"

"Maybe I should go ask Zuko if I can bunk with him tonight." Ty Lee looked dubious, "If you're not feeling sociable . . ."

"No, no, it's okay, I'm calm." Katara cracked her knuckles looking anything but calm.

"That's good! Cause all he'll wanna do is go to sleep. I think we should brush each other's hair, and tell embarrassing stories, and . . . I wonder if there is alcohol on the airship . . . It has a crew, so it has to have rum as well . . ."

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"We're leaving." Mai announced, dropping her packed bags on the floor of Azula's room, "You keep running off, and disappearing, and one of these days you won't come back. I think we should head for the Northern Earth Kingdom, there are so many little villages we could lose ourselves for a while. Anyways, you're hurt, we need to find someone to set and bandage your rib and a safe place for you to heal up." Although she would never admit it, the idea of adventuring off into the Earth Kingdom appealed to Mai, it sounded exciting, then again, holding the leash of a half crazed fire princess had sounded interesting at the time as well.

Azula stood slowly, taking in everything, Mai's bag, her cloak, her resolute yet fearful expression. Slowly, placing one foot in front of another, the girl limped over, clutching her side. The lopsided motion combined with the black eye and the unfocused gaze made her look like a corpse on her feet. The aristocrat took a step back in spite of herself.

"Do you know what a water bender can do?" Azula asked coolly, as though it was on topic.

"Bend water . . . probably." Mai guessed, it was a pretty educated guess she would say.

"Not just water." Azula told her, pulling herself up straight, although she wasn't nearly as lanky as her raven haired companion, she never needed bulk or height to scare someone shitless.

"No?" Mai took another step back, fingering the hilt of a dagger on her wrist, "What else then?"

"Oh, anything with water in it really." Azula stepped forward, "Sweat, tears, plants, clouds . . . blood."

"Fascinating." Mai replied in a tone that said it was anything but, "Why do we care what my boyfriend's new squeeze can do?" her shoulder blades hit the wall, and her fingers closed on the hilt of her dagger, ready to attack if necessary. She did not like being backed in a corner, but too much was riding on Azula, she would have to pick her battles.

Azula grinned, he was 'boyfriend' not 'ex boyfriend', Mai was so easy to read.

"Well, I suppose the point I am trying to make is . . ." She reached up and caressed her friend's pale cheek. Her long nails traced over her friend's lips, then chin, then trailed across the skin of her neck, raising goose bumps in their wake. Azula stepped in, her hands gliding over the fabric of her 'fiancé's' dress and coming to rest on the girl's outer arms.

"The point I am trying to make is . . ." the princess repeated, and her sleepily seductive face hardened to a crazed smirk, her eyes wide, "She isn't the only one that can toy around inside you."

Mai screamed.

It felt like she was being cooked from the inside out, all her muscles cried out in agonized protest. Azula was bending lightening through her, though nothing gave it away other than a stray blue spark leaping from the girl's hands. Mai released the catch that held her knife in place and wound up to stab it, but before she could finish the motion something pulsed down her arm, causing her finger muscles to spasm then relax and open. She watched in horror as her fingers uncurled to their fullest hyper extension and began twitching, her whole arm jerking back and forth, no longer under her control.

The knife slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor. Useless.

Azula was speaking, and Mai concentrated, managing to her what her friend was saying over the humming voltage in her ears.

". . . different from them because you can't do it over a distance, there is no way to hit someone with the right amount of voltage at such a precise spot, you'll just fry them, so why bother with an advanced technique? It sort of requires a bit of . . . intimacy, wouldn't you say?" Azula leaned in, her face inches from her friend's "And lightening benders like me are not slaves to the full moon. I can reach into you anytime I want to, as long as I do it delicately . . . as long as I'm gentle . . ."

Mai's forearms reared upwards and twisted, writhing against the wall like snakes whose heads had been cut off. She tried to speak, but the current was making her grind her teeth so tightly together that she couldn't open her mouth.

"Now, I know I made you a promise that you would be Fire Lady, and I intend to keep it." Azula told her in a way that was as terrifying as if she had just confessed she was about to commit murder, "But never forget, Mai, which one of us is Royalty. I am the rightful Fire Lord, and you, you are nothing! History will forget you, the world will forget you before your bones turn to dust in your coffin. You WILL obey me. Do you understand? DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

The voltage leapt every time Azula stressed an idea, and somewhere through the fog of spasming muscles and howling nerves, Mai managed a nod. The pain and control let up almost before she had finished, the princess still pinning her by her arms to the wall.

"Not so funny now, is it?" Azula asked, amused, "When you're the one scared shitless about to pee your pants and not a random Dai Lee soldier. You're pathetic."

She let go and Mai collapsed to the floor, her legs no longer able to support her weight without the princess pinning her to the wall. Her arms and legs felt like vibrated jelly, the muscles would barely move, and would spasm with an aftershock now and then. Azula turned on her heel and walked away, leaving her friend crumpled on the floor of her room. Fifteen minutes must have gone by before Mai managed to pull herself to a sitting position. When all her vertebrae were realigned, she felt a wave of nausea hit her and she heaved, throwing up on the floor. She rested her head against the wall, counting and breathing deeply as sweat soaked through her shirt.

It took several more minutes for her organs to all agree with each other that they were all in the right place, then a few more for Mai to stand. She clutched the broken wall, her muscles finally solidifying enough to support her, and slowly, she straightened, the room spinning, spots dancing in front of her vision. She leaned her head against the wall, counting and breathing.

_Inhale, two, three, four, hold, two, three, four, exhale, two, three, four, hold, two, three, four . . ._

Azula was coming back down the hallway, Mai could hear her footsteps. The princess stopped several feet from her and waited for several seconds, as though she was expecting Mai to say something.

_Hold, two, three, four, exhale, two, three, four, hold, two, three, four, inhale, two, three, four . . ._

"Stop fucking around Mai, We need to go convince an old associate of mine to heal me. Bring your daggers, the ones that you shove under people's fingernails, this will not be an easy task."

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"Isn't it the most adorable thing you've ever seen?"

Aang stirred in his sleep, as someone's voice cut through it, he was dreaming that he was trying to make a sculpture out of mud, and each time it got big, it toppled over onto him. For some reason he did not think to bend it.

"I know, they're like puppies!" He heard a second voice. The mud vision started to fade to black, but the weight on top of him remained.

"Still can't believe the Princess did so much damage to such a sweet little boy. Seems a little cruel, he cant be more than eleven, he must not have know what hit him He looks like a war prisoner, poor boy!"

"Shhh, the Avatar is a little over one hundred and thirteen, I think he is waking up, hold your tongue and mind the laundry."

Aang opened his eyes, two servants were folding things and putting them onto shelves in his closet. He grumbled groggily and rubbed his eyes, his body felt like it had been hit by a train. His chest screamed from the reopened claw marks, his head throbbed, and he could feel a bump forming, his arms and chest (and he suspected his neck) were covered with the bruises Azula had given him with her mouth. He turned his head and the muscles protested, they were stiff from all the hauling on them that Azula had done. Gingerly, he looked down, Toph was still slung across him, her face pressed into the pillow in defiance of the morning light. He wondered how she could breathe like that, and then decided that his sifu had her ways, and it was best not to ask.

"Who are you?" Aang asked the two women who were busy changing the drapes.

"The Princess got blood all over the drapes, we didn't notice it on the first sweep of the room yesterday on account of the color, we'll have them washed and back in no time, don't mind us. We'll straighten the room once you've left."

The past two days had gone from an awkward novelty to an awkward routine. Toph would come in once she was ready for bed, barricade the windows and wedge the passageways, then flop down with him in bed and chat until they both fell asleep.

"Would you like us to send in Toph's ladies in waiting?" The older woman seemed to be deliberately looking at the floor, too polite to say anything about his beaten appearance, at least to his face.

"Ladies in waiting? What are they waiting for her for?"

"They're servants that will help her dress and brush her hair, you did not think she did it all alone in her room, did you?"

"Mmmf grrmumf nnuuufff" Toph instructed, face still pressed into the pillows.

"But Master Toph, you'll want to be dressed nicely for the Fire Lord, the Prince and Princess of the Southern Water Tribe, and the Captain of the Kyoshi Warriors." The woman informed her, obviously women were better at understanding pillow talk than he was.

Aang looked back and forth, "Okay, send them in."

He watched, rather mystified as Toph grudgingly roused herself and followed the servants back to her room. He remembered that it was usually Katara who had helped Toph, ever since they had had their 'girls day out' in Ba Sing Se. He decided he might as well wash off too, and retreated into his bathroom. After all, he would see Katara today . . . and Katara would see him. His heart sank and he felt his stomach hollow nervously.

He surveyed the damage in the mirror, really looking at it for the first time, it was worse than he thought. Purple bruises dotted his body wherever Azula had grabbed him. His neck was positively ringed with purple and yellowing splotches, as were his wrists and forearms. He gingerly washed the scratches that had reopened and scabbed over again, and then froze the water and applied the ice to the back of his head.

He debated about summoning a Fire Nation surgeon, though he had embarrassed himself in front of the last one that he had met, and didn't feel like repeating the process. Katara would be here soon, his heart leapt at the idea, she would be here and she would take care of him. He fingered the bruise on his neck, he didn't want her to see him like this, but he hardly had a choice, not unless he covered himself with stage makeup.

Sighing again, Aang finished primping and washing up and went back into the main bedroom. The two women had made the bed, confiscated the curtains, and laid out clean cloths on his bed. They had selected a shirt with a mandarin collar, and long sleeves even though the air was hot under the summer sun, and Aang's eyes began to tear, overwhelmed with gratitude.

"Avatar?" He was just buttoning the front of his shirt when he heard one of the castle heralds step into his room.

"What is it?"

"The Fire Lord and his entourage have arrived, the airship is docking as we speak." The messenger looked at him expectantly.

"Umm . . ." Aang looked at him helplessly.

" . . . Shall I . . . Shall I send them to the royal audience chamber?" The man asked helpfully.

"Um, yea, I guess," Aang turned back to the mirror and smoothed his shirt down.

"When will I say you shall be along?"

"Oh, umm, I'm ready, is Toph ready?"

The man shrugged, "I don't know, I'll send a servant."

"It's okay, I'll go." Aang pushed past him, "Don't bother a servant."

He walked down the hallway, and knocked on the door, hearing someone call a muffled come in, then Toph protesting. He pushed the door open and found three ladies helping Toph dress.

"About time, honestly, Do you at least have the right belt this time, Lyire?" the woman running a comb through Toph's hair asked.

"It's NOT Lyire- Ow!" Toph told her swatting at the hand of the woman who was attempting to paint color onto he lips, "I told you, I don't like that stuff, it makes my lips feel sticky."

"Avatar Aang! Master Toph is not fully dressed! You shouldn't be in here!" The eldest and clearly the one in charge scolded.

Aang turned his back quickly, closing his eyes, "Sorry, sorry!"

"What's up Twinkle Toes?"

"Everyone is here, are you ready?"

"Hot damn!" Toph shoved the women away, hobbling across the room as they tried to follow her, still wrapping her leg or painting her face, "Sparky's here? What are we waiting for?!"

"Master Earth bender Toph, you're STILL not fully dressed!" The eldest protested.

"I've only painted one of your eyes!" the one doing her makeup informed her.

"I'm not finished with your feet!" The third complained, "Stop moving!"

"I found the tie you wanted Ma'am, fast as I could!" a final girl pushed past the Avatar, holding a length of fabric that to Aang, looked exactly the same as the rejected one, discarded on the floor. The girl, Lyire apparently, adjusted Toph's shirt and began winding the fabric around her middle. Aang studied her, she really did look cute, annoyed but cute. He didn't see why the servants insisted on painting her eyes, she didn't need it, her eyes were so striking already, even though she didn't know it.

"Okay okay, we're done!" Toph decided suddenly, slipping from the servant's grasp and barreling out of the room, grabbing his arm and yanking him along as she went.

"Ow, Toph, careful!" She had grabbed him in almost the exact same spot as Azula had, and was still sporting the bruises her fingers had left. He picked up his feet, falling into step with his instructor.

She slowed and let go of his arm, pointing her finger at his nose, "What's wrong? You're acting odd and your heart's speeding up and you don't like getting touched . . . are you nervous about seeing Katara?"

"No." _Yes._

"You're lying. You need to suck it up Twinkle Toes." She informed him, punching him on his arm. Hard. But affectionately.

Aang doubled over and winced.

"Twinkle Toes . . . are you hurt?" She asked suddenly, her eyes narrowing, suddenly suspicious.

"No." _Yes._

"You're lying again! I thought monks weren't supposed to lie!"

"You lie all the time Toph!!" Aang argued, "All. The. Time."

"I'm not a monk! My artistic license to describe events isn't bound to the truth" She shot back, "Spirits, Aang, How badly are you hurt? And none of those lines you spout to dance around it like 'I've been hurt worse'."

"Just a few bruises and scrapes, I'm a little sore." Aang confessed, trying to keep it vague. He was embarrassed that the princess had shredded him so completely, and for some reason, he really really didn't want Toph to know. He was scared that she would think he was a weakling. This would not have happened to Toph, she would have earth bended Azula into oblivion before the princess threw the first punch . . . or kiss as the case may be.

She reached out, tentatively, as though he would spook and run . . . maybe he would. Her fingers brushed his face, probingly, she had never touched it before. They brushed along his cheekbone, which was swollen, and his lower lip, which was split, her frown deepening and deepening as her fingers made new discoveries. She chewed on her lip, her fingers brushing across his nose, his eyebrows, his chin.

"Twinkle Toes . . ." She said, her fingers dancing across his split lower lip again, "I'm no healer, but this doesn't feel like just a few bruises . . ."

"Toph, It's okay . . ." He reached up and caught her fingers, scared that she would find more evidence of his failure to defend himself. Scared that even though her fingers were brushing over his bruises, it felt very nice, and part of him didn't want her to stop. "I'm going to ask Katara to heal me as soon as she can, I promise."

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Someone really should have warned Zuko that if you undo braids that have been in your hair for a while, your hair will crimp. It was just one of those things that you assume everyone knows until, somehow, it becomes obviously clear that they do not. It had become obviously clear that morning when they were eating breakfast, and the Fire Lord walked in, a rather pissed off expression on his face. He was usually the first one out and about, and his lateness had caught everyone's attention.

Sokka had laughed, then choked, then laughed, Ty Lee had complimented his bold fasion statement and asked if he thought she would look good with curls, and Suki had started pouring all her attention into spreading fruit across her bread, doing it with such an artistic eye for detail that she would have made Piandao proud. Katara had dragged him out of the room and bent him forward over the side of the airship, and ran water through it until it had gone back to it's original straightness.

"You know, I used to wear ponytails," he told her upside down as she bent the water around his head, "Then I shaved . . ."

"It just takes some getting used to." She bit back a snicker as she pinned him over the railing with her hips, her arms swaying back and forth.

Suki had whispered something to Ty Lee at that point and they both started laughing hard. Katara wasn't sure, but she thought she caught the phrase 'bend over boyfriend'.

They had landed with minimal difficulty, they were all pretty used to being up in the air. Only Toph had a fear of heights. Ty lee actually climbed up onto the rigging and leaned out into the wind, an arm thrown out and her fingers spread wide, obviously enjoying the rush of the wind against her. Zuko noticed Sokka and Suki look at her and exchange a meaningful glance, though he had no idea what the big deal was. Ty Lee was always climbing things or jumping off things, it's what made her Ty lee.

The servants, it seemed, were on top of things, as usual, and there were two palanquins waiting for them in the shipyard. Zuko started administering instructions, sending a messenger ahead to the palace to start the staff on cooking lunch and preparing rooms. He also asked for the backlog of his paperwork to be brought to his suite, and for his friend's luggage to be brought up to their rooms, which apparently were signified by numbers. She got the fifth guest room suite.

The ride up took the better part of an hour, and was actually, rather scary. There were plenty of people around booing, and calling the Fire Lord names that even Toph had not learned the meaning of yet. On the other hand, there were spaces where everyone was cheering, and some even threw rice or flowers, welcoming their ruler back to his homeland.

In the courtyard, one of the heralds was there to greet them. He led them through the corridors of the palace to the throne room, and then into a smaller room off of it that looked like it was meant for meetings between generals, and not the Fire Lord himself as there was no huge fiery throne. Zuko found a seat and flopped down, asking the herald how much longer the Avatar and the Master Metal Bender would be.

"They're on their way now." The man promised before bustling off to see about refreshments.

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"Bout bloody time you guys showed up!" Toph called happily, trotting into the room, nearly tripping over one of her leg wraps, which was unwinding. She made a b-line for Sokka and punched him in the arm, "Thought you got lost in the swamp."

Sokka winced and rubbed his arm, "Some of us did."

"You look so ladylike!" Ty Lee squealed, "I love your sash!"

"Did the servants paint both your eyes?" Katara asked, squinting and holding up a hand to block out half Toph's face at a time.

"Toph, are you wearing makeup?" Suki asked, bending over for a better look.

"Naw, it's war paint." Toph punched the Captain in the arm as well, though unlike her boyfriend, she didn't make any indication that it hurt, "Come on Twinkle Toes."

Aang stepped into the room, studying his feet with a foot-interest that rivaled Tophs.

Katara felt her breath catch in her throat, her eyes filling with tears. Guilt hit her like a sack of rocks and she staggered forward, staring at her friend in disbelief.

"Aang . . ." Her voice cracked, she dropped to her knees to get a better view, and looked up at his face.

"What happened to you?!" she heard Sokka ask behind her, "You're covered with hickeys and fingernail scratches!!"

"What are hickeys?" Aang asked, furrowing his brow.

Katara reached up unbidden and began unbuttoning the collar of his robe, cringing at what she saw, his neck was ringed with yellowing bruises as well as fresh purple ones. It was all her fault. ALL. HER. FAULT.

"Hickeys are when someone sucks on your skin and leaves a bruise." Suki explained.

"Suki!" Sokka snapped, as though she had said something wrong.

"What?! He asked!!"

"It was Azula." Aang looking away at the wall, "Azula got out of prison, she . . . she killed some people, nurses, and then came to . . . to get some things out of her room, and she found me."

Katara brushed the tears from her cheeks impatiently, and bent the water from her skin, touching it gently to his bruises. Had the crazy woman gnawed on him?! He was so innocent, how could she do that to him?! As she healed, she began seeing flashes of what had happened, getting straddled by the princess, held down, bitten. She forced herself to concentrate.

Since she was working hard on his neck and chest, she was only half listening to the conversation, but she could feel the room heating, Zuko was probably not appreciating watching her take her sort of ex boyfriend, sort of maybe still a little bit boyfriend's shirt off and touching him. She ignored it, protecting Aang was more important than Zuko's pride.

_All your fault Katara!! _She thought again, _If you had stayed with him and protected him, none of this would have happened!!_ As she worked, she heard snippets of the conversation, spliced with snippets of Aang's memory that the healing waters picked up from his aura.

". . . well, she had these ties, they wouldn't burn . . ." Aang was saying, rubbing his wrist that was positively braceleted with yellow bruises. She took one of them gingerly in her hands and began working on it, seeing flashes of what he had. Fire bending to burn them, wrenching against them, trying to knock the princess off her . . . him. Inhaling deeply and getting elbowed so hard in the gut it left her gasping. She blinked hard, reminding herself that she was herself and not Aang.

". . . and then we found this weird room down the secret passage way, it led to Zuko's room too, well, Toph said it was Ozai who had probably used it." Aang gave her his other wrist, his whole arm was covered with finger bruises and love bites, after two weeks in the swamp, she recognized them easily, "Do you know anything about it?"

"No," Zuko replied, "I had all the unnecessary passages in my room sealed, that must be why you couldn't open it . . ."

Suddenly, quite unexpectedly, Katara got a vivid image of Azula leaning over and kissing her, licking the blood from her mouth. She saw the woman's eyes flutter, as though terrorizing the Avatar was a particularly delicious indulgence, and the searing expression of lust play across her features, an expression so similar to the ones she had seen on the princess's brother that it made her lose concentration and the water slipped from her grasp. It was unsettling, to see so much of Zuko in Azula, or was it the other way around?

The last thing she heard before the connection was broken was Azula's voice echoing through Aang's mind.

_That whore cost me my throne. She cost me EVERYTHING!! I spent four months in an asylum!! I am going to take back what is owed to me, the bitch will pay me in full! Drop by precious drop!! I'm going to shred everything she holds dear, and . . . I think I will start with you!_

_Hold still Avatar, will only hurt for a minute . . . I promise._

"Careful Katara!" Sokka put a hand on her shoulder. Katara blinked, her legs must have buckled, she was on her butt on the ground.

"You did a really good job, maybe you need a break." Ty Lee chimed in, looking concerned.

"She . . . she was licking your blood . . ." She stammered out, a wave of nausea hit her, "Spirits, she was actually LAPING UP your BLOOD!!"

The room went silent.

"She's mad at ME isn't she! That's why she did it! Wanted to send me a personally stamped 'I'm coming for you' message, sealed with a kiss!!" She balled her fists, she was yelling, though she didn't mean to.

"Katara . . ." Zuko's hand was on her shoulder, "Azula hurts people, it's what she does, and it's not your fault."

Katara looked up at the Avatar, he still looked banged up, still looked bruised and broken, he was wrong it was all her fault. ALL HER FAULT. She felt the Fire Lord give her a reassuring squeeze, and she pushed him away impatiently. Azula wasn't after him, she wasn't after Zuko, she wasn't after any of the gang.

Azula was after HER.

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"So, this is the passage?" Zuko lit a fire in his hand and peered down the long tunnel.

"Yea, Sparky, the Vampire-Fire Princess took a bunch of stuff, mostly cloths and boots we think, maybe some weapons too, but it leads down into another chamber, you should probably take a look." Toph laced her fingers behind her head.

The group proceeded down the dark hallway, Zuko in the lead with a flame cradled in his hand, and Aang bringing up the rear, with one as well. Katara stuck close to the Avatar, along with Toph, while Sokka, Suki, and Ty Lee took the lead with Zuko. She glanced around nervously, water at the ready in case some ghost of the past leapt out of the shadows with claws aimed at her friend.

"I remember hearing the Earth Rumble fighters talk about one or two of the things, I think, but most of it looks like torture stuff." Toph explained as they walked, "It's like, straight out of a dungeon, only not quite right."

They piled out into the room, and surveyed the dungeonscape. Little had changed since Aang had last been there, this time at least, he felt a lot safer, surrounded by friends.

Suki gave a small strangled cry, turned, and fled, nearly tripping over a pile of old cage bars as she exited the small ring of light.

Ty Lee and Sokka looked at each other once and took off after her, calling for her to calm down, and that she would fall and hurt herself in the dark. Aang followed, trying to light the way for his three friends, though finding it difficult to juggle the torch as he ran.

Toph scratched the back of her head, "What the hell do you think that was about?" she asked the fire and water benders.

"We better go find out, come on Zuko." She started back in the direction of the passage out, relieved to see Zuko following her, Toph trailing behind. He reached out and touched her shoulder as they power walked back the way they had come.

"Katara, you're still pale."

"I'm fine Zuko, don't worry about it, Aang just has a very . . . um, vivid, memory."

Toph spoke slowly, shaking her head, "I had no idea that he was so hurt. The servants are too polite to say anything, and Twinkle Toes just decided to play macho. I should have pulled a Sparky and started randomly attacking him when I suspected something was wrong. Next time, it's going down."

The two older benders blinked as they walked out into the brightness of Aang's room. Suki was on her knees on the floor, both Sokka and Ty Lee's arms wrapped around her. Sokka was gently rocking her back and forth while Ty Lee ran her fingers across her arm and tucked her hair behind her ears. Aang stood a little ways off, watching the proceedings feebly, as though he wanted to help, but had no idea what to do.

". . . and I didn't know . . ." Suki was saying.

"It's okay, It's okay." Sokka patted her back.

"What happened?" Zuko asked, though he was pretty sure he already knew the answer, "It wasn't just a bout of claustrophobia, was it?" he added hopefully.

"That's Azula's playroom." Suki stammered, but she looked like she was pulling herself together, "She brought me there for questioning once. I didn't know it was connected to her room, I was blindfolded. She used to bring men in, and she would . . ." Suki put her face back into her hands and rubbed her eyes. Ty Lee squeezed her more tightly.

"What did she do? Did she hurt you?" Sokka demanded.

"No," Suki explained, "Azula is very straight. But she brought in these men, I didn't know who they were, POWs probably, men with families and lives, and she would question me, and if I didn't give her answers, she would . . ."

"Kill them?" Toph helped her along.

"Worse . . . she would torture them . . . and they would beg me to help them . . ." Suki shook her head back and forth several times, as though trying to shake their memory from her skull. "Finally she gave up, and sent me to the Boiling Rock . . . it was such a relief . . ."

"We should go get some water." Ty Lee said suddenly, "Do you want something to drink, Suki? Get out of the area? You guys can go investigate the tunnel, Me and her will take a walk to the kitchen. I remember where it is."

Sokka jumped up, "I'm coming too!"

"We can all go." Katara stood, and Aang and Toph nodded.

"No Sokka, guys, this is Kyoshi girl stuff, you should all probably just stay here." Ty Lee told them in the nicest possible way.

"That's it, we have to catch Vampire-Fire Princess." Toph punched a fist into the open palm of her hand, her knuckles cracking on the impact.

"How Toph?" Aang asked, his voice weary, "None of the bounty hunters are coming up with her, we can't track her down with the watch, and no matter how much we barricade the place, I have a feeling that with Mai's help, she can get right in!"

". . . . Mai?" Zuko asked slowly, "Why would Mai help her?"

"Umm . . ." Aang nudged Toph.

"We think that maybe she is the one who sort of let her out." Toph tried to break it to him gently.

"How can someone 'sort of' break someone out of an insane asylum?!" Katara asked, her voice rising in anger. She saw Zuko's mouth slacken in disbelief, "Why would she do that?! Mai wouldn't do that! Zuko!! Would Mai do that?!"

"Sugar Queen, repeating the same question over and over again in various ways to someone who doesn't know anything will NOT get you an answer." Toph explained, looking a little annoyed.

"Ok, we have to catch Azula and get her back in a straight jacket and fast." Zuko agreed, "What if I double the bounty?"

"We've already spread a bounty around, they're looking really hard for her." Aang explained, "Did she get the same umm, stealth training that you did that you used as the Blue Spirit?" he asked.

Zuko nodded, "Both the Fire Academies have pretty much the same curriculum."

"I've been guarding Aang." Toph steered the conversation back on track, "Staying with him at night so if the Vamp Tramp does show up, we'll be ready for her."

"Trapping her does seem like a good idea," Sokka agreed, "The question is how . . ." he looked at the double doors, "maybe some sort of pulley and cage . . ."

"She has been MIA the past two nights though, I think I cracked her rib the last time she was here. I heard something snap." Toph looked pleased with herself, "The important thing is that if she is after Twinkle Toes and Sugar Queen to extract some revenge, we should guard them, don't you think?"

Sokka and Zuko nodded.

"So, maybe if we figure out some sort of buddy system!" Sokka grinned, snapping his fingers, "Like we did with the kids back home when we took them penguin sledding."

"I'm totally capable of defending myself from Azula!" Katara insisted, "I've done it before!!"

"Katara, don't you watch plays. The killer always gets you when you're alone." Toph told her, "And we all know how accurate plays are." She added with so much conviction that it made them all think about the Ember Island Players. Katara studied her nails and Zuko rubbed the back of his neck, it had indeed been more accurate than either of them had wanted to admit.

"So what then?" She asked, at least two guards at all times around me? I don't want to have strange men in the room while I am trying to sleep, or bathe." She complained.

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**Oh my goddess, I love Azula to death . . . which is really the only way one can love her, knowing Azula.**

**To Death.**

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**Thanks to Adridere for the 'Vampire-fire princess' nickname, as that is what she has been referring to Azula as since like Chapter 15.**

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**Someone should draw Zuko in Kyoshi cloths, he is the only manly member of the Gaang that hasnt worn it yet!!**

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**Zuko is such an accidental cock blocker, First Sokka and Suki in Raiders, then (infamous among Zutarians) Aang in Players, plus he must have done it to his uncle thousands of times, you know how much of a flirt Iroh is.**

**I feel like he might have done it to Ty Lee in the Beach too, but I don't remember. **

**All evidence points to maybe.**

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**So I broke and posted an Aangzula picture that I did for this fic, It came out a lot better than I thought it would, but I still hate it. It's rated M because Azula is flashing nipple. You have been warned.**

**The link is on my profile, enjoy.**

**Oh! And there is a Project to reanimate the Finale with a Zutara ending going down at Deviant Art, all of you writers should check it out on bluetarako's page, I think the writers auditions are going on now.**

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**R&R, I heart Reviews. **


	20. Chapter 20: The Lullaby

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** BurningIce

**Rating**:PG-13

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** Not mine, really, would I be writing fan fiction if it was? No, I'd be writing CREATORfiction. AKA Cannon. I would be writing cannon. Scary, huh?

It should be!!

Because it's HALLOWEEN!!

Happy Halloween/Samhain!!

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**Chapter 20: The Lullaby**

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June opened her eyes and sat up, Ursa was nowhere in the campground. Her bedroll was empty, but her Ostrich horse slept soundly a few feet away. June growled, she hadn't lost a patron yet, and she wasn't about to start. The bounty hunter grabbed her whip, cloak, and Ursa's bag, then nudged Nyla, pressing the Fire Lady's bags under her nose.

"Which way?"

Nyla started off into the woods and June followed, squinting in the half light.

Ursa was sitting on one of the rocks not far away, running her fingers over the small doll's body that she cradled in her arms. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she gently rocked the doll back and forth. June frowned, a grown woman hugging a doll and crying? It was damn creepy.

Ursa hummed softly to the doll, thinking about her children. It had been years and years since she had seen them. They probably didn't remember her anymore. They probably didn't love her anymore. She hummed the lullaby she used to sing to Zuko and Azula when they were small and scared, and then picked up the lyrics, her eyes filled with tears again.

"No, Night, you don't frighten me . . . You're dark and grey . . . But you won't be here in the morning . . . for one whole day . . ."

She wiped her eyes, rocking herself more than the small toy that used to be her daughters, comforting herself by going through the mothering motions. Loneliness was an old and familiar friend by now, it visited her often at night, when she couldn't fall asleep fast enough, and she welcomed it into her chest, welcomed it into her soul like an old friend.

"Cry, Wind, try to frighten me . . . Cry good and strong . . . But you won't be here in the morning . . . So I won't cry alone . . ."

Nyla raised her head and oriented on her from where she was laying, and her tail began to thump against the ground, the beast got up and crawled closer, slinking on her belly. Ursa reached out and patted the beast, reminding herself that it was the curious properties of her voice that was making the creature warm up, not any genuine affection. Nyla liked June, and that was pretty much it.

"Full moon glowing a ghostly shade . . . Smile away, soon you'll fade . . . I look up at the morning star . . . Wondering where you are . . ."

June couldn't believe it, her eyes were actually tearing, her heart going out to the woman singing across the way. She wondered what it was about this woman's voice, why it could invoke things in other people. She had never experienced it full blast, maybe it was more powerful when she sang than when she talked, and it was clear that Ursa was using her talent to the fullest. If Ursa had turned to her and asked June to stab herself in the heart, the bounty hunter would have. She would have done anything asked of her by that voice . . .

"So, night, why you frighten me is hard to say . . . Perhaps, because as nights go on . . . I think how long my boy's been gone . . . But you won't be here in the morning . . . He may . . ."

Before she knew it, or fully understood why, June had sat down next to the older woman and hugged her from behind, wrapping her cloak around both of them. The small gesture of compassion seemed to undo her client, and Ursa put her face in her hands and fell silent, wracked with soundless sobs. The spell, if it could be called that, was broken and June looked back and forth, feeling awkward, but as though she couldn't just let go and flee without saying something.

"We should reach the Great Divide tomorrow." She spoke when the sobs had turned to soft sniffles.

_Yea June,_ she told herself, _Nothing cheers up a miserable woman like geography. _

"Thank you, I'm sure we will." Ursa sounded despondent. She patted June's hand in a polite dismissal, and the bounty hunter fled, vowing never to try to cheer up anyone ever again. It was out of her depth.

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Azula slumped over her mongoose dragon's neck, biting her lip. It hurt like hell just to breathe or move, and now her mounts legs striding underneath her were making it nearly unbearable. She bit her lip and thought hard about her mother, trying to block out the physical pain with emotional pain and anger. It helped a little, but not as much as she hoped. Not as much as it usually did.

Mai watched her friend a mix of boredom, admiration, and loathing. The girl had been demonstrating the kind of physical endurance only insanity could loan. She had not been sleeping, but had grudgingly kept Mai warm at night, and the dark circles under her eyes were practically purple, standing out starkly from her pale skin. She was looking more like death every day, and the aristocrat was relieved that soon the fire bender would not have the strength to keep up her crusade.

_Oh how the mighty have fallen . . . _Mai thought with satisfaction watching her fiancé slump. She nudged her mongoose dragon with her heels, and it increased it's speed, pulling up beside Azula's.

"I think we better back track." Mai suggested trying to keep the smugness out of her voice.

"We back tracked an hour ago."

From her vantage point, she could see a huge purple bruise on the princess's back, the bones underneath moving out of synch with each other each time the girl took a breath. Mai shuddered in revulsion and stared in fascination. The princess was coming apart at the seams mentally and physically. It was obvious.

"Maybe we should walk the mongoose dragons backwards for a while then." Mai told her, she wanted to watch her fiancé to suffer. After the electrocution she had given her earlier, in Mai's opinion, they should be finding this Siren healer via the earth kingdom.

"We're FINE!" Azula snapped, whirling on her friend. It must have hurt horribly, the princess straightened and wrapped her free arm around her chest, her face contorting into a grimace. She turned her back on her stoic companion and leaned heavily on her mount's neck with her good side.

"I'm just worried that we might be followed." Mai told her, "I saw the wanted posters in the last village."

"We disguised ourselves passing through the village. They are looking for a princess and an aristocrat, not a farmer and his pregnant wife." Azula had wound so much fabric around her middle to brace herself that when she put a shirt on, she had in fact, looked pregnant, and quite chubby. She had made Mai tuck her hair up under a large hat and rub her face with the depressing kohl she used on her eyes to simulate a five o'clock shadow. If someone had looked closely, they would have been able to see through the disguise, but luckily, it seemed nobody had. Who cared about two travelers passing through these days?

"Stop." Azula raised a hand.

Mai reigned in her mount, watching the princess warily as she slid out of the saddle and tied the reigns around a tree branch. She limped off into the woods, and Mai sighed wondering what was up, probably a bathroom break or a change of disguise break. Or maybe a fainting spell and throw up break.

"What area you WAITING for?"

Or not.

Mai slid down and hobbled her mongoose dragon, then followed the princess through the underbrush. It was a weird mountain they were climbing, and she wondered if the princess was taking her on a wild elephant-goose chase, it didn't look like anyone lived on it.

Azula knelt down and touched the earth, her fingers tracing around the contours of a footprint. She followed the walker's direction and found a small cave mouth, hidden by a large waterfall.

"She is in there."

"Why would you have an 'old associate' who lives in a cave?" Mai asked, crossing her arms.

"Does it matter?" Azula rolled her eyes, "Just come on."

"I'm not going in there."

"Why the hell not?"

"I'll get wet getting in for one thing. Probably muddy too. It all looks very undignified."

"I don't understand," Azula propped herself against a tree, sounding frustrated, "You spend all your life bitching about how much you hate being a lady and having to behave in a ladylike, socially acceptable sort of way, but the moment you get a chance to get down and dirty and break some social taboos, you refuse. You're so conservative."

Mai didn't say anything right away. It was true, the earth bender that her boyfriend . . . EX boyfriend seemed so fond of acted like a total bull pig. Jumping in the mud, yelling, wrestling, breaking things . . . Mai felt like she was still shackled by her mother's expectations, even miles and miles away from anyone who would know or care.

She looked at the princess, then down, then back. She could prove the princess wrong, she could crawl into the mud and ruin her shoes, tear her dress, and muss her hair. Her shoulders slumped.

"Are you coming?" Azula asked, curling a finger in a come hither motion.

"I'll wait here with the mongoose dragons."

The princess rolled her eyes. Good help was so hard to find these days. "Toss me your daggers then."

Mai pulled a pouch out of her robes and tossed it to the princess who tucked it into her belt at the small of her back and pulled her oversized shirt down over it. She proceeded down into the grotto, wading through the knee deep mud and weeds to get to the cave behind the waterfall.

The damn place was dark and drippy, too bad Mai hadn't come, it matched her personality. Azula flared her nostrils, detecting the faint hint of smoke that hung in the air and following it down through the passages. A small plume of flame blossomed in her palm, lighting the way for her as she picked her way carefully down the rocky passage, her side throbbing in pain.

It opened out into a cavern where there were a few chains scattered here and there, a small bedroll, a fire pit, a few sacks of goods, and an underwater stream. Apparently she was not the only Siren who had fallen on hard times, and she hoped a few coins for rice and vegetables would convince the woman to help her. If not . . . she fingered the needle daggers Mai had tossed her . . . she would have to get creative.

Azula knelt down to wait. She would need her strength.

...  
...

"I'm not sure this is going to be a good idea." Katara fussed, tugging on her sleeping robe.

"It's a great idea." Ty Lee told her as she braided Katara's long hair, "at least for tonight, Sokka has been trying to make out a schedule, but since . . . for some strange, unexplainable, random, bizarre reason, he is tying to make one where Sparky never has a shift with you, it's taking a bit longer than he expected it to. Mainly because he is trying to schedule it so he and Suki have nights off together too."

"I don't see why we can't just stick together as a group then sleep in our own rooms, it's not THAT hard." Katara twisted the fabric of her sleeve between her fingertips. They both fell silent as the Kyoshi finished the braid and tied it off.

"Katara." Ty Lee's voice had suddenly become serious, "Azula . . . her weakness is Ursa." The acrobat shifted back and forth, feeling incredibly guilty, after all, she was betraying her best friend of many years.

"Ursa? Her mother?"

"Yea, she has it in her head that Ursa thinks she is some sort of monster, maybe that's why she is doing what she is doing, I don't know, to . . . prove her right."

"Her right?"

"I don't know, maybe just to prove she never needed her mother anyways."

"Zuko told me the war took his mother away from him, their mother away from them."

"It took everyone's mother away from them, all of us, maybe not killing them, but there is more than one way to skin a cat." Ty Lee shook her head, "Nobody knows what happened to her except Ozai and Azula. I THINK Azula does at least, once she indicated that Ursa was in the Earth Kingdom. I don't know, but I know she hates her, she hates her because she thinks Ursa doesn't love her."

Katara touched her mother's necklace, remembering her own mother.

"Come on," Ty Lee bounced to her feet, energetic again, "I'll walk you to the bedroom."

Sokka's great idea had been for everyone to camp out together in the same room like they had when Azula had attacked the Western Air Temple. He figured it had worked then and would work again now. They were banking on the fact that Toph would wake up when she felt strange vibrations, like she had with the tank that chased them when they first met the Fire Princess. They were also hoping to capture Azula, Toph had practiced several times bending up a metal cage out of bars on the floor around the "daughter of the Melon Lord", and nine out of ten times she didn't rip off a melon limb in the process. She always did catch at least 85 of the mannequin though.

Toph was brooding in the corner, her arms crossed, "I'm telling you guys, I broke her rib, she won't be coming around for a while. She'll need to find someone who can heal her."

"None of the surgeons will do it either." Zuko put in, "They train at the same Medical University as the nurses that work at the asylum, and after the brutal way she killed three of them, none of our healers will touch her."

"So, why don't you girls take the bed and me and Zuko can camp out on the floor." Aang suggested.

"No, Aang, you're still all battered, you should sleep in the bed with Zuko." Katara argued.

"Katara, you're bait, you should be the one in the bed in plain sight." Ty Lee put in just for the fun of keeping the argument going.

"Aang's bait too!" Katara pointed, "You can't convince me that she didn't have FUN doing . . . that."

"Then why don't you and Aang sleep in the bed together?" Ty Lee asked blankly.

"No!" Aang, Toph, and Zuko said together, than looked at each other with varying degrees of actual visual stimulation. Aang giving Zuko the same suspicious look he had shot him in the crystal cave under Ba Sing Se. Katara huffed, she hadn't realised that sleeping next to her was such a horrible option.

"Why you 'No'?" he asked fumblingly.

Zuko looked away, "No reason."

"I still don't see why Zuko wants to be here." Aang insisted

"I want to be here because she is MY sister!! I'm not going to leave you alone to fight her! She is my responsibility!" Zuko crossed his arms, looking frustrated.

Toph sat up and oriented her attention on Zuko, intrigued that his heart rate was jumping. He was lying. Sort of. At least half of the statement was a partial lie, that much was true.

"Why don't you ALL just squeeze into her old bed, it's a huge bed, it can comfortably fit six people." Ty Lee suggested, "I know from experience." Everyone halted the argument to glare at her, and quickly started admiring the desk she stood next to.

"Toph hogs the mattress." Aang blurted out, breaking the awkward silence.

"You never stop tossing and turning unless I hold you down!!" The earth bender defended, but sounded amused.

"Okay okay," Katara held up her hands, "This is silly, we're all friends here, we have all camped out next to each other. Aang and I will be bait in the bed, Zuko, Toph, you guys decide where you both would be best suited . . ." She crawled into the bed beside her sort of boyfriend and stroked her hair, pretending to be uninterested.

Zuko glanced at Toph, and then they both sullenly climbed in as well.

_That's what I thought._ Katara smiled smugly as the Fire Bender settled on her opposite side. She watched as Toph pulled the covers over her.

"Maybe you could sleep next to Zuko?" Aang asked her hopefully, from his place between the two girls.

"I want to be the closest one to the window where she'll come in, in case things do go down." Toph retorted loftily. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was starting to enjoy sleeping next to the Avatar.

"See!" Ty Lee said from the door, "One big happy family!"

They looked anything but happy. Toph was tapping her heel on the floor, diligently measuring the distance to the window through vibrations and muttering about skewering her a fire princess. Aang was edging away from Katara, looking as though he was convinced she would jump him at any moment, like she was a ticking time bomb. Katara was playing with her hair, pretending to have absolutely no interest in the pajamad fire bender that had slipped into the huge bed next to her, though the slight blush on her cheeks gave her away. Zuko, on the far end of the bed was glancing at Aang every few minutes, trying to figure out how he could get Katara out from between the two of them without arousing suspicion. The acrobat wasn't sure if it was literal or metaphorical, auras were vague like that.

"One big happy family." Ty Lee repeated again with less enthusiasm. Katara and Zuko's auras were melding into each other, as were Toph's and Aang's, though Aang's aura was repelling Katara's retreating from the blue ether until it was held tight against his body. She turned on her heel, "Good night guys, sweet dreams."

"You too Ty Lee!" Katara called.

"Good night, don't let the Vampires bite." Toph echoed in a sing song.

"Lock the door on your way out." Zuko instructed her.

...

...

...

Katara sighed, drifting in and out of consciousness, one of her arms tossed over Aang's stomach, the other pillowing her head. Toph's arm was flung across the Avatar as well, her head on his shoulder, and he kept shifting back and forth uneasily, getting cuddled from both sides. His arms lay flat at his sides, rigid even as he slept. Zuko had shifted as well, putting an arm around Katara's waist, and resting his fingertips on Toph's hand, his nose pressed into the water bender's neck.

She was just drifting off to sleep when a familiar heat began to roll out across her skin. She swallowed hard, praying to Yue to not unleash what she was probably about to unleash, but she must not have been keeping up with her tribute. Her heart started hammering in her chest, her breathing sped up, and her skin began to crawl. Leaning over and kissing Zuko or Aang or even Toph was starting to look very appealing. She was sure her heartbeat alone would wake up the blind earth bender in another minute.

"R'lazzz 'Taara." She heard Zuko mumble from where he slept, his hand moving from where it touched Toph's to pat her stomach and then caress it. It sent shivers all through her, and she grabbed it, pulling it off of her. She had to get out from between her two sort of boyfriends, right then!! She sat up to crawl to the edge of the bed, and felt Zuko's arm relax back across her lap. She must have put her hand down on Aang as she sat up because he yelped and propped himself up, waking the other two people.

Zuko hastily removed his arm from her waist.

"What's the matter Katara?" Aang asked, concerned.

"Oh, nothing nothing." She started to crawl out of the sheets, "Bad dream."

"Where you going, Sugar Queen?" Toph asked, rubbing her eyes, "What's wrong with you? You're sending off vibrations like nobodies business."

Aang grabbed her arm, hugging it against him, not fully understanding where hugging her arm put her hand, "Katara, what was the dream about?"

She blushed and tried to twist her hand out of the Avatar's lap, what were normal girls afraid of again? "You know, umm . . . spiders."

Zuko put a hand on her shoulder, and she could feel his breath dance across her neck, "What phase is the moon in?" he asked, innocently enough, but she could hear the smile under his words.

Damn Fire benders. Damn, hot, sexy, attractive, kissable . . . she had to get out of this bed!!

She pulled against their hold, "I'm okay guys I just need some air." _And a cold bath, and to sneak back to my room and sleep there._

"No way! You're not going alone!" Aang insisted, "What if Azula is waiting on the balcony?!"

Katara looked unimpressed, "Toph, is Azula on the balcony?"

"Nope."

"Then I am going to get some air."

"It's not a good idea, We all decided that we were going to work as a team to guard you and Aang, so you cant just run off." Zuko added.

"Katara, stay here, please? It was just a dream, it's not worth risking it." Aang pouted, giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Your heart is still hammering." Toph looked suspicious, like she had an idea of what might be the problem, but didn't want to voice it out of embarrassed fear of being wrong, "Are you sure it was a . . . NIGHTMARE nightmare?" she hinted, making sure that Katara knew she knew she was lying.

"You don't look scared." Zuko added, "You look embarrassed."

She chewed on her lip.

_One night, how hard could it be?_ She asked herself, and then sighed, "Okay Aang."

"Thank you Katara!" Aang gave her a hug,

Katara scrunched her nose, a pained expression crossing her features, there was too much topless Avatar touching her. Her heart sped up, her body quivered, and her breathing caught in her throat in what some might call a whimper if they were very brave.

"Are you cold?" Aang asked, feeling her shudder and mistaking it for a shiver.

"You should warm her up, remember how?"

Aang shook his head, "Show me again Sifu Hotman?"

The Fire Bender wrapped his arms around her again, bending his skin hotter, and instructing Aang on how to do the same, ". . . no, you're going too hot, just a few degrees works wonders. Yes. Now channel it into your breath, and exhale, NO! No sparks! Katara has pretty long hair, do you want to singe it off? Don't look at me! Watch what you're doing! No, more like this."

She felt Aang adjust his breathing, and the area around her became almost stiflingly warm. Both boys still had her encircled in their arms, and things would get really bad really fast if she didn't think of some way to get out of there that instant. By then her breath was coming in gasps, and she began wrenching the boy's arms off her, the trouble is, they kept coming back.

"Katara what the hell?" Toph asked, one of her eyes squinting in a short epiphany as she grabbed Aang's wrists and pulled them from around the water bender.

"Toph!! Don't swear!"

"Katara, what in the world?" She repeated, "Are you actually . . .?"

"Claustrophobic! I'm claustrophobic!!" Katara was grasping at straws. She was caught between a rock and a hard place . . . well, technically a hard place and a hard place. The rock was on the Avatar's other side, head tilted as she listened to the conversation.

"No, you're lying."

"I am not!"

"Aang, you should offer her a neck massage, she looks a little tense."

"Do you want one?" Aang asked, slightly lost but following his Sifu's instructions. He reached up and began rubbing her neck tentatively, without waiting for her answer.

"No!!" Katara's voice cracked. They were NOT taking this SERIOUSLY!! Zuko was actually smiling a Cheshire grin by then, propped up on his elbow on the other side. Katara supposed it was better than him going into a jealous rage, but not that much better. Damn instigating Fire Lords with beautiful gold eyes and . . . Katara shook herself. Not again!!

"You want me to keep warming you up? I bet you're feeling better already!" Aang gave her a goofy grin, letting go of her neck.

"Yes, Aang," she agreed through gritted teeth, "Much better." She lay back, pulling the covers up to her chin, trying to think of unarousing things. Cave crawlers, cabbage merchants, Kyoshi makeup, foamy mouth guy . . .

Aang lay on his side, watching her, an unreadable expression on his face. Katara studied the ceiling, listening as first Toph, then the Avatar relaxed back into sleep. Aang began tossing this way and that, and Toph put a heavy arm down on his chest, pinning him to the mattress.

She was just starting to dose when Zuko discreetly poked her in her side.

_That jerk bender!_

She whirled on him, opening her mouth to yell at him, and completely forgetting what she was going to say when she found her face inches from his, his golden eyes glittering in the moonrise.

"You're sweating." He whispered.

"You're a jerk bender!" She hissed back, pulling the red-brown covers up over her nose and mouth.

"So I hear."

"Why didn't you STOP them?" Katara narrowed her eyes, "You could have backed me up!"

"Payback."

"For what?!"

"Swamp Skiin."

Katara huffed and turned back towards Aang. Karma was a bitch and so was Zuko.

...

...

...

Katara woke grumpily at dawn (she had not slept much the prior night), hearing her three roommates talking in low voices to one of the castle guards. The guard sounded panicked and apologetic, and Zuko's voice kept getting louder and louder, as though he was angry or scared.

". . . didn't hear anything! I swear, Your Lordship has thick doors, and they came in very silently." The guard was saying as Zuko pushed past him out of the room. Aang followed, calling after his friend.

"What happened?" Katara sat up, alarmed.

"Someone broke into Zuko's bedroom!" Toph told her, "Scrawled blue lightening bolts all over the walls. It has to be those nut jobs that think that Azula should be Fire Lord and Ozai the Phoenix King."

Katara swung her legs out of bed as she listened to Toph, "And he's just run off?!"

"Sparky? Yea."

"How do we know it WASN'T Azula?"

"She would have actually lightening bolted everything. Probably" Toph said, following her friend down the hallway. Apparently she was on Katara-guard-duty. She followed her friend back into her room and flopped down on one of her chairs. "Point is, she doesn't need to scrawl things on the walls, it's not like her."

It was weird, dressing with someone else in the room, even if they couldn't see her. She pulled a fresh pair of legging out of her bag and something fell to the floor. It was the snake scale and the bit of parchment. In the confusion and hustle she had forgotten about them entirely.

Katara stooped and picked it up. She WAS out of the swamp now. She broke the seal and unfolded the paper.

...

...

...

The damage wasn't as bad as he had feared. The bed sheets were slashed and the tapestries singed, the walls scrawled with paint, and the furniture taken apart, but everything in his desk and safe seemed to be fine. All the vital papers that could have been leaked were accounted for, if a little worse for wear and spattered with blue. Most likely it had been some stupid kids trying to make a statement. Still he would have to look into it and punish someone or it would happen again.

Aang started picking up the cloths off the floor but Zuko put a hand on his shoulder, "Don't touch anything. I want one of the investigators on the watch to come look first, see if they can find anything."

"At least you weren't in here." Aang tried to cheer his friend up, "They might have hurt you."

Zuko was about to reply when he heard a scream echo down the hallway.

"Katara!" Aang yelled and bolted off towards the noise, Zuko hot on his heels. They both dashed down the corridor and around the corner. There were a few guards already clustering at the door and they pushed past them and hauled her door open, nearly falling over each other getting inside. Katara was backed up against the wall, her head buried in her arms, maybe she was crying, maybe trembling, Zuko was not sure.

Aang was faster, and he torpedoed through the air, landing next to his friend and putting his arms around her.

"Katara!! Katara!! What's the matter? I heard you scream!! Is Azula here?"

"She dropped this." Toph held out a bit of parchment to Zuko, "I don't know what it is. A letter I think, and then just fell to pieces."

Since Aang had already nabbed the 'comforter' slot, Zuko took it and unfolded it.

"It doesn't say anything, there's just the water bending symbol scrawled across it with brown ink." He told her, looking questioningly as Aang, who shrugged.

"That's not brown ink . . ." Katara spoke through her knees, her voice steady.

Zuko relaxed a bit, at least she wasn't crying. He poked at the stuff and it crumbled off into his hands, he recognized it pretty quickly.

"'Tara, this is written in blood . . ."

"That's gross." Toph declared, "I don't think I'll ever want to write something to someone THAT badly."

"Katara, is that message . . ." Aang started, "Is that a message from who I think it is?"

Katara nodded, spitting out the name with as much venom as she could. "Hama . . ."

"Who is Hama?" Zuko asked curiously. They had never mentioned her.

"Sifu Hama . . ." Katara repeated, not really listening, and Aang patted her on the back again, whispering something Zuko couldn't hear.

"I thought Pakku was your master . . ."

"Hama was this creepy old lady we met while we were traveling around the Fire Nation." Toph explained, "She was freakin' crazy, she captured a bunch of villagers and threw them into a makeshift prison."

"So, what's she want with 'Tara?"

"Me and her, we are the last two Southern Water Tribe women who are water benders, in fact, we're the last two southern water tribe water benders all together." Katara stood, composing herself, smoothing imaginary wrinkles from her skirt, "She . . . she taught me a technique . . . she taught me blood bending. Then she made Aang and Sokka fight . . . like they were her marionettes . . . she, I think she's summoning me . . ."

"You're not seriously considering GOING, are you Katara?!" Aang asked, aghast.

"I . . . ."

"I think you should." Toph cut in quickly, "It's obvious that she has something more that she wants to teach you."

"Hama locked innocent villagers in a cave!" insisted Aang.

"She also taught Sugar Queen a bunch of very very useful water bending, and Katara herself got to decide how and when to use the bending she learned."

"Katara HASN'T used blood bending! She said it was an evil method and that she would never ever use it!" Aang defended his friend's honor.

"Really?" Toph looked doubtful, "Sugar Queen, have you used the blood bending technique?"

Katara nodded, looking ashamed. She knew better than to try to lie to Toph.

"I say if the woman has another lesson to teach, you should at least show up for it."

"What if it's a trap?" Aang persisted, looking shaken.

"I doubt it, Hama never seemed interested in anything but teaching Katara all she knew, by any means necessary. Katara is like her pet project, her legacy, even if she hates the old woman. They're similar to each other in more ways than I think Sugar Queen is ever likely to admit."

"I need to think . . . I need some air." Katara roughly detangled herself from the Avatar and then pushed past the Fire Lord and the Master Earth Bender. She trotted down the hallway, heading for the Fire Nation gardens. Toph and Zuko exchanged a look that only Zuko really saw, and Zuko motioned to one of the guards milling outside Katara's room.

"Take an escort and follow her." He ordered, "Make sure she stays out of trouble, and that trouble does not find her." He watched as the men bowed and followed the tribeswoman, "And don't ogle her!" He called after them.

"Gee Sparky, you're getting so good at this ordering people around." Toph ran her fingers through her hair, "While you're at it, set up an escort for Twinkle Toes here, I want to go change out of my pajamas." She padded out the red and brown door and down the hallway, heading for her own guest room that was right next to Aang's.

Zuko glanced over at the Avatar, he was sitting against the wall where Katara had left him, looking dejected. The Fire Lord crouched down in front of him, worried that the younger boy was crying.

"I can't believe Katara blood bent." Aang twisted his lips back and forth, pensively, "After she swore she wouldn't . . ."

"Katara's only human." Zuko replied, patting his friend on the shoulder, "She has the same faults as us all . . . She makes mistakes just like everyone else . . ." he stood to leave and find Aang a guardian.

"But . . ."

"Aang," Zuko pinched his nose, "I think that . . . I think that there is a side of Katara that you just don't see. I don't know if you're naive, or in denial, or she just hides it very well from you, but she is NOT perfect."

"I know she isn't perfect . . ." Aang looked up at his fire bending sifu, "but blood bending? It's like when she was going to kill the man who killed her mother . . ."

". . . and how did she deal with your disapproval then?"

"She didn't tell me, she wasn't going to tell me."

". . . and what did you do when you found out?" Zuko prompted again, surprised he had to lead the Avatar to the answer in such a fashion. Ty Lee had accused him of being in denial!

"I tried to talk her out of it! It was wrong!! I kept reminding her of her other options!"

"So she knew you wouldn't like it, so she didn't tell you, does that sound familiar?"

"What are you talking about Zuko?"

Zuko shrugged, and sat down against the wall with his pupil, preparing to administer a lesson in life, "I just think you have this idea of her built up in your head that she is something that she is just . . . not."

"No, I don't Katara is sweet and kind, and she loves everyone and she is nice to everyone, and she looks out for her friends-"

Zuko held up his hand, stopping the other boy, "Katara hates plenty of people, I know, she used to hate me, she holds grudges, she tends to make decisions that help people but risk her friends, she can be-"

"You're just focusing on the negative!" Aang cut him off.

"I'm acknowledging that it's there, if that's what you mean."

"You don't have to say mean things about her behind her back." Aang defended.

Zuko sighed, he was getting nowhere. If the Avatar didn't understand, he didn't understand, he was still just a kid after all. Maybe he was expecting too much from his student. Maybe he should ease off and suggest that he go gliding. Zuko decided to try one last time.

"Aang, I'm going to be as blunt as I can, and then we're not going to discuss this again." Zuko stood, "You have expectations for Katara to act a certain way, you expect her to be all love and peace, and she tries, Spirits, she tries to conform to those expectations. It's impossible though, so she hides things from you, things she doesn't want you to know because it does not fit into the mold of her you have in your head, and it's what's driving the wedge between you two." Zuko ran his hand through his hair, well aware that he was driving the nails into the coffin of his relationship with the girl by explaining things, but it just didn't feel right not to.

He walked over to the wall and pulled on one of the cords there and one of his servants brought in curtains.

"Please tell the Steward to arrange for a guard to escort the Avatar throughout the day." He turned to Aang, "I will be talking to an inspector about my room."

His room yielded no evidence, nothing that really narrowed the possible suspects. The inspector deduced that it had been three different criminals, though nothing on age, gender or family. At best, the inspector said he could round up the usual suspects and question them, though he didn't have much hope on any leads. Zuko had sighed and asked the man to do what he could, and then summoned the chambermaids to start scrubbing the walls, changing the mattress, hemming the tapestries, and generally straightening up. He walked out onto his balcony and gazed down at the gardens.

They were beautiful during the summer months, and today was no exception, the flowers were all in bloom around the fountain, and the leaves rustled in the wind. Zuko inhaled, he could smell the plants all the way on the second floor of the building. He noticed Katara on the grass in the sun, her guards a few yards away. She was doing sun salutations, like she usually did when the moon was at certain phases, to try to center and relax herself. He watched as she pushed up from plank into downward facing dog.

"I said no ogling!!" He yelled at her guards, who quickly found something else to be looking at.

...  
...

Azula breathed deeply, her eyes were starting to sting with tears. She could hear the grating of her broken bones each time she took a breath, and was beginning to worry that the damage may become permanent if it was not healed soon. That made her angry. She was always angry these days, it was rare not to feel it burning in her chest. In fact the only time she could remember that she hadn't felt the hot rage in her chest was when she had been terrorizing the helpless Avatar. That had been fun. So very fun.

"It's not something a lady should do." She heard Ursa say, but didn't open her eyes to look for the woman. Instead she focused on the Avatar, the way he had screamed. The way he had tasted. Then that insolent earth worm of a bender had come in and spoiled everything. Who did she think she was cutting Azula's fun short?

"To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Azula snapped back to attention, she had not noticed the woman come in, lost in thought as she was. She was getting clumsy. Clumsy people ended up dying. Azula stood, eyeing the woman.

"I thought you owned an inn, puppet master."

"I thought you were in an asylum, fallen princess." The old woman put an armful of wood down next to the sleeping roll.

"Once I am Fire Lord, the Sirens will be begging me back."

"Perhaps."

"You met my friend outside?"

"Yes. She was so polite she didn't even speak to me."

"I need you to heal my ribs." Azula cut to the chase, she had better things to do than chit chat with escapee madwomen about the manners of her mostly mongoose entourage.

"No."

"Why not?!" Azula stood up, "Don't you healers have to swear some sort of oath to always help those in need?"

"Yes, but I have orders not to help you. She is looking for you, you know, and it's only a matter of time before she finds you." The woman smiled, "She will find you. She will kill you. She has her orders, same as the rest of us."

"Not if I kill her first." Azula spat.

The woman laughed, "You think you can kill her? I am intrigued . . . you fire nation scum can all kill each other for all I care, the world would be better off without you!"

"How dare you talk to me in that way!"

"You're not Princess anymore, you're just a homeless woman begging for a healing."

The princess pivoted and kicked, a slash of fire illuminating the cave, and the old woman bent the water out of the stream, raising it up to block the fire, her reflexes remarkably quick. The water turned to steam which the puppet master quickly reformed into a whip, and used it to knock the girl off her feet.

Azula stood, exhaling a mouthful of fire, "This is your last chance, I am already in a fowl mood, you will heal me this instant or I will make you wish you had never been born!"

"Can you even lift your left arm?" the woman's smile became cruel, "Lift it up over your head and yawn. If you can do it without fainting in agony, I'll heal you."

Azula glared, a grin to match the older woman's spreading across her features. "Sorry, I'm just no good at taking orders from filthy water tribe peasants!"

The fallen princess smiled, she had been hoping she would be able to get creative . . .  
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**...  
Okay, chapter 20, jeez this story is longer than I initially ever thought it was going to be! Wow, and more popular too!**

**...  
So I had some unexpected free time on campus and pretty much finished the chapter after this one too. I feel like it is too much fan fic in too short of an amount of time though. I mean, how much Zutara can you stand in one sitting? **

**I'll put it up in a day or two unless people bug me for it, I am very very susceptible to peer pressure . . .**

**Oh! It's got some sexy Zutaraness in it that you can look forward to!**

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**Oh, and brownie points if you know where Ursa's lullubye comes from!!**


	21. Chapter 21: The Ex Fire Lord

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** BurningIce

**Rating**: R

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** Not mine, really, would I be writing fan fiction if it was? No, I'd be writing CREATORfiction. AKA Cannon. I would be writing cannon. Scary, huh?

It should be!!

Because it's HALLOWEEN!!

Happy Halloween/Samhain!!

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**Chapter 21: The Ex Fire Lord**

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"Here we are!!" Sokka unrolled the complicated looking schedule with a flourish, "I coded it by color, Katara, you're blue, Zuko, you're Red, Aang orange, Toph green, Suki yellow, Ty Lee pink, and I'm purple." He spread it out on the table.

"Sokka, can we trade? Purple is my favorite color!" Toph whined.

"Okay, I guess we can trade and I'll just blot out . . . Toph!" Sokka huffed, "Hasn't that gotten old by now?"

Toph snickered, "I'll stop doing it when you stop falling for it."

"Sokka, I'm really not free to Avatar-sit mid mornings, I see petitioners at that time." Zuko pointed over his shoulder, "I have work to do, you know."

"And I think me and Katara should get morning shifts together," Suki pointed, "I want to start a regular hand to hand combat training session for her and Ty Lee."

"And I don't want to have to guard Sugar Queen tonight," Toph complained, "I had to baby sit her last night!"

"Okay Toph, I'll just trade you with . . . wait! How did you know you had tonight?"

"Woah? You mean I do?" Toph looked surprised, then pumped her fist in the air, "Oh yea, I rock, that was a total guess."

"You're really not helping, you know." Sokka informed her.

"I broke her rib, she won't be around for a while." Toph replied, flopping down in one of the chairs of the library.

"So I guess it's you and me this afternoon Katara, we should go shopping!" Ty Lee beamed, "I can show you my favorite store in the capital, they have the most beautiful pink silks!!"

"Actually, I was hoping Katara would come with me to the asylum this afternoon." Zuko said softly.

Katara's stomach sank, she was not looking forward to this.

"Oh . . ." Ty Lee looked a bit disappointed, then brightened, "Then I guess I'll go with Toph!" she latched onto the younger girl and dragged her out of earshot from the group, "You've been cranky and sarcastic lately, well, you're usually cranky and sarcastic, but your aura has turned all rosy pink too! I think you have a crush!"

"What?! I do not! Crushes are for girls!" Toph tried to pull herself out of the glomp-n-drag, her cheeks reddening, "And I only go out shopping with Sugar Queen!"

"Don't be silly! You're a girl!" matchmaker Ty Lee beamed, "And anyways nothing catches a guys attention better than a bold new look . . . maybe we should cut your bangs to show of your unusual milky eyes, or get something that shows off your midriff!!"

"That's exactly the reason I only go shopping with Sugar Queen, usually she doesn't pick out something tacky." Toph sounded dubious.

"Why would you care if it was tacky if you couldn't see it?" Ty Lee questioned as they walked down the main staircase, then waved to one of the guards watching them.

"Because other people will see it and think that I look ridiculous, or worse, incompetent."

"Alright, we'll pick out something badass . . . I'll just keep thinking, 'would Azula like this?' and if the answer is not yes, we'll put it back." Ty lee giggled and threw her arm around Toph's shoulders.

"Great, cause when I think fashion, I think the Vampire Fire Princess." Toph grumbled.

"There you go grumping again . . . and now blushing! Oh Toph, you have to tell me about this crush, I bet I can guess who it iiiiiiiiiiiis." Ty lee positively sang the last vowel.

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Katara followed a few steps behind Zuko, her mind whirling, she mentally went over the things that Vel had told her to do and cautioned her against. It was almost distracting her from the thrumming of power through her body. Almost. Of course Zuko would ask her to try it on a power trip, it was just her luck.

_Keep yourself grounded, don't forget that nothing is actually happening to your body, the pain isn't real . . . well, it is real, but the damage isn't. Don't break contact, don't lose focus. Mind your stance . . ._

She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice when the Fire Lord stopped suddenly, and she bumped into him from behind. He turned, glanced down the corridor both ways, then pulled her into an alcove of the wall, into a shadow of a statue depicting a bearded, battle hardened, fire bender, his foot on a dragon head.

"Ow! Zuko? What is it?" She glanced behind her down the hallway, no guards were posted, so nobody saw him drag her out of sight. She swallowed, her heart fluttering in anticipation, goose bumps standing up on her bare arms, even in the midday heat. She rubbed them energetically, hoping that they would go away before the Fire Bender noticed.

"You're sure about this?" Zuko asked, he seemed to be having doubts himself, "It's not too difficult for you?"

_Did he have to word it like that?!_ Katara thought, trying to reign in her body. He was standing so temptingly close . . .

"I can do it." When had she developed such an ego about her bending abilities? Probably around the time everyone was telling her she couldn't bend because she was a girl.

"You're sure?"

"Yes." _No._

"What's the worst case scenario?"

"I don't know . . ." Katara thought about it, "but your mother is alive. She is somewhere and you could find her, I would give anything for that. To find out Kya was alive. So, let me live vicariously through you, okay?" the corners of her mouth turned up in a small, reassuring smile.

Perhaps it was the joke, or the adorable smile, or maybe just the relief that she had not taken the out that he had given her, but whatever the reason, it compelled him to lean down and kiss her. It had been too long since they had been able to touch, and behaving well the previous night even though he knew she was right there, wanting to be touched had been tormenting. She flattened herself against him, changing the kiss from a delicate 'thank you' to an intense 'I want you'.

Her mouth strayed over his neck as one of his hands wandered upwards to caress her through the fabric of her top. Using the wall for leverage, she pressed him back into the pedestal, her hands winding their way around his neck.

"Ech!" Zuko pushed her back with a yelp, "Dragon fang, dragon fang in my ribcage." He rubbed the jabbed area with his free hand.

Katara looked sheepish, muttering an apology. She let him go, very deliberately placing her hands at her sides, as though she expected them to walk away and grab him again. They heard footsteps coming down the hallway, and he quickly tugged her out from behind the statue, unfortunately, it was too late, the two guards had already rounded the corner, and were staring at them curiously, deciding whether or not to jeer. Zuko was a lot less temperamental than Ozai was, but they decided not to risk it.

Katara tried to discreetly smooth her top back into it's proper place.

Zuko coughed.

"See, I TOLD you they carved those things all the way around," Katara tried not to sound as flustered as she felt, and when he said nothing, she elbowed him.

"Oh, yea, I could have sworn it was flat in the back." Zuko stammered catching on, "We better stop dallying though and get on the airship, long ride, and I don't know how much time this will take."

Katara glanced over her shoulder at the two guards as they walked away. One was whispering something to the other, and she cursed inwardly. By that evening every servant in the palace would know that the Fire Lord was seen lingering in the shadows with the Master Water Bender Princess of the Southern Water Tribe.

As if there weren't enough rumors flying.

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Aang sat cross legged in the stables, Momo perched on the young Avatar's shoulders, nibbling on a leechi nut. Suki was trying her best to occupy the kid, she had never been good with entertaining children, but the Avatar seemed to be easily amused. As she spoke she swung her fan, partially reenacting her story.

"Then Azula said that any friend of the Avatars was an enemy of hers and she could take Appa over our dead bodies, so we all banded together, we outnumbered them two to one, those were good odds." Suki jumped into her fighting stance, pretending to engage an angry Fire Princess, "She shot this blue fire at Appa and we held our shields together to deflect it!" Suki held up a pretend shield and then staggered under a pretend barrage of fire.

"What happened next?!" Aang asked, enthralled, his chin in his hands.

"Then Ty Lee and Mai jump off and are coming at us, and Mai pins Kisa and Yuki to trees, like that!" Suki pantomimed first throwing daggers than getting pinned to a tree, dropping her fan, "then Gina draws her sword and comes at Ty Lee, like this. . ." Suki pretended to swing a sword at an imaginary, nimble foe, "Well, you know how Ty Lee moves."

"Yea, like the wind!" Aang agreed and Momo chattered.

"Umm . . . oh yea," Suki paused thoughtfully, then went on, "Then Ty Lee came somersaulting through the air and gets behind her and she was like jab jab jab!" Suki enunciated each jab by jabbing a different point in the air in front of her, "Ty Lee takes Gina down so quick, and then tells her that she was so not prettier than her . . . which was weird at the time, but Ty Lee had a crush on my sister, she insists from the moment she saw her, and my sister and Gina were-"

"Isn't your sister a girl?"

Suki blinked, what had Sokka been telling this kid for a year? That the Kyoshi warriors were "best friends" and used "the power of friendship" to fight their enemies?

Probably.

"Ty Lee and my sister are girls who like other girls . . . sometimes. Umm . . ." Suki sat down in front of the Avatar to explain, "Usually boys like girls, right?"

Aang nodded, "Like I like Katara, and You like Sokka, and Zuko likes Mai. Everyone knows that."

"Well, sometimes, girls like girls and boys like boys, the way you like Katara." Suki decided that she was going to have to yell at Sokka, was she the only one that answered the Avatar's questions?! Jeez, he was a monk, someone had to explain life sooner or later.

Someone, not her. She would just make an awkward mess of it.

"So, the way Zuko likes me?" Aang seemed perplexed.

Suki snorted back a laugh as a mental picture popped into her head, "I don't think so, Zuko likes you like a friend, a very best friend, even a little brother, I mean, I don't think Zuko wants to kiss you. Though I have been wrong before . . ." Suki trailed off, apparently visualising the encounter.

"Oh, so it's about the kissing!" understanding dawned on the young avatar's face.

"Yea, 'the kissing' is a good place for a distinction." Suki put a finger to her lip, "Like your friend Toph, you're friends, even though she is a girl, you like her as a friend, you don't want to kiss her." Suki preened, she was getting good at this explaining thing. Toph was right, Girls rocked.

Aang hesitated, then changed the subject, "So, how did Ty Lee know that the girl was competition for your sister?" Aang pet Momo, still looking perplexed.

"I asked her that myself once, she said she saw it in the girl's aura." Suki scratched her chin, "I was relieved that she wasn't competition for Sokka anymore, so I let it go at that."

"Okay, go back to the story, what happened next?"

"Well, that just left me with Azula, I drew my sword and charged!" Suki jumped up and pretended to draw a sword, "She jumped and twisted in the air like I had never seen anyone but you do . . . Earth Kingdom style is pretty rooted to the ground, but you air and fire guys launch yourself like nobodies business . . . So she twisted and evaded the blow and knocked the sword from my hand and into a huge tree!!"

"She punched," Suki punched and grunted, "I dodged," Suki dodged, landing in a crouch on the floor, "then she did one of those fire leg swipes," Suki swiped her leg awkwardly, mimicking the fire bending that she had seen, then jumped up, starting to pant, usually she didn't have to narrate while she fought.

"Let yourself pivot on your toe as you do it, and do it faster, like you're striking a match. Fire Bending has to be fast so you get a spark." Aang explained as she caught her breath.

"Well, all of a sudden there was fire everywhere!! The trees were on fire, the grass was on fire, even the rocks were on fire! I swung my fan, using it to disperse the fire she sent at me, and then she was on me, and it was like . . . HA . . . HYAH . . .!" At this point the story became more of a pantomime as Suki reenacted the battle, swirling her recovered fan this way and that, "Then Appa came to help me, but I was scared that he would be hurt, so I swung a torch at him, trying to get him to run away."

Appa lowed at this point, and Aang crossed his arms and scowled.

"Azula would have killed him, I hardly think I was out of line," Suki defended, "so he flew away, and Azula got really angry. She started again, and . . ." Suki blocked with her imagined shield, "Yah . . .! Then Ty Lee and Mai came over, and jab, jab, jab, jabjab, then I was slammed into a tree, and I hit my head and was down!!" Suki slowly and dramatically collapsed to the floor, an arm theatrically strewn across her face in despair. In her opinion, she did a lot better job than those ember island players, maybe she should audition.

"Then what happened?" Aang asked, leaning forward.

"What do you mean what happened?" Suki asked from under her arm, still crumpled on the floor in pretend unconsciousness.

"Like, what happened to you guys? Azula didn't just leave you there, she wouldn't have." Aang asked.

"I don't know, I woke up in a cell with everyone without my cloths. Maybe Ty Lee could tell you exactly what happened next." Suki sat up, "Okay, now it's your turn, tell me a story about the air nomads. Were all nomads benders?"

"No," Aang looked thoughtful, "But all the monks were, if there were any kids that werent benders, they moved to the Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom, it was just too difficult to move from place to place if you couldnt fly."

"So what happened to the kids who didn't bend and moved to the fire nation when the war started?"

Aang shrugged.

"What if they had Air bending children?" Suki tried again.

Aang shrugged again, starting to look a little upset. He sat thoughtfully for a minute and then looked at her, "I asked Giatso that once, and he told me this rhyme:

Wind on Air, a nomad will bear  
Wind on Sea, usually agree  
Wind on Fire, always a flier  
Wind on Earth, congratulations, you'll know at their birth.

Then told me to go think about it and figure out what it meant, I think it was a reference to different element bender's kids bending. I don't really understand it though." Aang stood, "Want to go for a ride on Appa?"

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Katara and Zuko sat in silence as the countryside crawled past beneath them far below. The prison was not far, perhaps an hour by air, she could already see it squatting on the horizon like a huge metal bullfrog. She could feel the blood draining from her face, and the flood of fear had momentarily replaced the effects of the moon. The thought of Ozai was still something that inspired terror and dread, and what she was about to do was becoming very real. This was no splashing around in the safe and lovely swamp with a few sweet hippie priestesses, this was Fire Lord Ozai, Phoenix King, Destroyer of Nations, and Like Aang, she would be fighting him on his terms.

"We're starting our descent." One of the crew informed them, then departed. Katara stood up, finally turning her back on the window at which she had stared, transfixed for nearly an hour. She leaned against it and closed her eyes, feeling suddenly sick to her stomach.

Zuko reached out and took her hands, squeezing them reassuringly, "You'll do great."

Katara nodded, blankly.

He hugged the shorter girl against him, and he felt her hands go up to grab the sides of his shirt. She was trembling. He stroked her hair, pretending not to notice.

"Is there anything I need to know?" he asked, the pressure of the airship against their feet was letting up. They were landing.

"Don't separate us suddenly, it could trap me inside his head." She whispered into his neck, "If I look like he has backed me into a corner, talk me back, remind me that nothing is real, it's easy to forget, like when you're dreaming."

"You could get trapped there?!" Zuko released her and looked at her face, "Wouldn't that have been a good thing to tell me when I asked you what the worst case scenario was?"

"You just looked so doubtful." Katara jutted out her chin stubbornly, "Is there something that I should look for in his memory? Something that might lead me to where Ursa is?"

Zuko was quiet for a long time, thinking, "When I was little, me and Azula, we snuck back into a meeting between Azulon, my grandfather, and Ozai. My father wanted to be Fire Lord, since Lu Ten had died. I got scared and ran out . . ." Zuko looked away, another stupid mistake, he probably wouldn't be in this situation if he had stayed.

"And?" Katara prompted.

"Azula told me later that my grandfather had ordered my father to kill me, so he would understand the pain that Iroh was going through." Zuko put his head in his hands, "Azula always lies though. I thought she was lying to play a prank on me. Now, I don't think she was, I think that what she said was true."

Katara gasped softly "Why would he do that?! His own grandchild . . . not to mention the only male heir in his family."

He hesitated again, "Azulon was going senile, I think, I didn't know then, I thought he was just grumpy. Azula said he thought the punishment should fit the crime." Zuko turned away, pressing his hands into the wall. The air balloon wobbled a bit, and he heard Katara sit down in one of the chairs.

"The last time I saw my mother . . ." He said, not looking at her, "Was later that night, I was asleep in my bed and she came in . . . she said 'Zuko, please, my love, listen to me. Everything I've done,I've done to protect you. Remember this Zuko. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are.' And she left the room. I didn't think anything of it, not at the time, I just went back to sleep, but then that morning, I woke up, I had a nightmare, I ran for her." Zuko pressed his forehead against the wall he leaned on.

"She wasn't there . . . Azula told me . . . she told me that our grandfather had passed away during the night. Nobody knew why though. It was strange, like he had simply stopped living. The surgeons said it was a heart attack, causes unknown. He wrote a will, a note, that very night it didn't look forced, but it was not something that he would do, he just wouldn't have. It was also weird, like how would he know he was going to die of a heart attack that night? He named my father the next fire Lord."

Katara put a hand on his back, he had not heard her move, "So you think your mother may have murdered your grandfather?" The airship lurched, hitting the ground, and they both wobbled, catching their balance.

"I think . . . I think she might have." Zuko pulled away and started for the door.

"Alright, I'll look for the information." Katara followed him, slinking close enough so that their arms brushed against each other. It was reassuring to be in contact with him, but her stomach was still a tight knot of fear.

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"So," Azula said conversationally, "Do you like my lightening bending technique? I developed it after hearing about your blood bending." One of her hands pressed the old crone to the floor, sending a current of electricity through the woman's body. The other one held a long, thin, blood drenched stiletto.

It had been much much more difficult than she expected to subdue the old woman. The Sirens lived up to their reputation. Like every other woman, this puppet master was dangerous. Luckily she had seen the Avatar's little friend do most of the moves the woman threw out, so she wasn't caught completely off guard.

"Go fuck yourself, Azula." The woman gasped, her face slick with sweat.

"You're so impolite," Azula studied her needle, "You know my name, but have yet to give me yours. That's hardly fair." She blew on the dagger's tip, heating it up until it glowed.

The woman lurched forward, fighting against the girl's grip, "If the moon were full, you'd be begging me for mercy you whore!!" Azula had to send a fresh surge of electricity through the woman, and took control of the muscles on her back, contracting them. She watched her latest victim writhe with a twinge of disappointment, she was not as much fun as the avatar had been. She was starting to suspect that nobody would be as fun as the Avatar had been, and she decided to pay him another visit when she was strong enough.

Azula clucked her tongue sadly, "Heal my rib, water savage."

"Never."

Azula picked up one of the woman's hands and clamped it between her knees, catching an old, bony, clawed finger, she jammed the red hot tip of the blade beneath the woman's nail. Her captive screamed, a horrible, primal scream of agony and loathing, which continued long after Azula had yanked out the knife.

Azula grinned, when the woman finally quieted, she informed her in a sing song voice, "You have seven fingers, ten toes, two ears, and two eyes left, and I have plenty of time. Now, will you heal my rib, tundra rat?"

"Hama, my name is Hama, Master Bender of the Southern Water Tribe!" The woman hissed, "and I would rather die than help restore the power of those who destroyed my people."

Azula chewed her lip, frowning, "Well, Hama of the Southern Water Tribe, that could be arranged."

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Ty Lee must have been taking every damn piece of clothing off the rack, Toph decided, she figured she had at least twenty outfits bundled in her arms and slung over her shoulder and hanging down her back. As she stood she felt the girl sling another something over her head.

"Hey!" Toph protested from beneath the fabric.

"What? It's not like you need to see." Ty Lee slung something else over her, "Maybe a few more things, then you can try them on."

"None of this better be 'pink'. Suki says warrior women don't wear 'pink'." Toph grumped.

The earth bender was starting to feel more like a doll than a friend as the Kyoshi pulled the fifth top over her head. She gave her lots of complements, and told her she looked fierce, but then rejected each garment, saying it wasn't quite right. Toph smoothed her fingers over the fabric, she liked the way it felt.

"What is this stuff?" She asked as Ty Lee buttoned it.

"It's Rayon."

"What's that?"

"It's like silk, only different."

_Well, THAT was informative._ Toph sighed.

"So, when did you start to crush on the Avatar?" Ty Lee giggled, as she was prone to do a lot of the time.

"I don't have a crush on the Avatar." Toph had stuck to that story the whole excursion, and she wasn't about to admit it to the silly acrobat anyways.

"You know, I can tell you're lying." Ty Lee sounded amused as she combed her friend's hair out of her eyes, "Boy, you've grown since I saw you in the Jasmine Dragon!! And you look so fabulous!! Oh boy! No! Don't slouch and look sheepish, _wear_ it!!"

Toph straightened, wondering if it would offend Ty Lee if she snuck off as they walked to the next shop. It probably wouldn't.

"How can you tell I'm lying?" It was out of Toph's mouth before she realized that it was an admission as well as a question.

"Because of your aura, silly, Ok, pull it off, try this one on next!" Ty Lee seemed to be holding something, but all the garments felt pretty much the same to her. She pulled off the top, and shimmied into the one that Ty Lee handed her.

"I think you got a size too small." Toph informed her. The upper hem seemed too low, and the lower hem was definitely too high, plus it hugged her all the way around, there was no extra fabric to belt down.

"No, it's supposed to fit this way, you show off your cute little earth bending tummy that way." The warrior gave the exposed navel skin an affectionate slap.

"You know, maybe I don't want people looking at my stomach." Toph told her, trying in vain to yank the shirt down further.

"Well, it's very fashionable in the fire nation. Even Katara and Suki wear belly shirts. Even Azula wears them to the beach." Ty Lee took a step back, "You look so cute!! You must be dying of heat in those green Earth Kingdom cloths anyways." she threw her arms around the younger girl in delight.

Toph groaned, Ty Lee would pick out the most revealing thing for her . . . It was cooler in the noontime heat than her old cloths . . .

"Jade is such a cute color on you too . . . Maybe we should go brighter though, how about a kelly green?" Ty Lee chewed on a fingernail thoughtfully.

Toph rolled her eyes, she was sure that the acrobat would make her try on every color she could, to see which one 'matched her eyes' and 'complemented her complexion'. As far as Toph could tell, some colors looked good together, and some did not, and some colors looked better on some people than others.

"I saw some pants that would go soooooo cutely with it . . . where did I put them . . ."

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He shouldn't have let her watch them restrain his father. Hindsight was always twenty twenty. Zuko watched as Katara positively trembled, watching them chain the vehemently swearing, and violently struggling Ex Fire Lord. They were both certainly getting a vocabulary lesson. The prison guards were strapping him to manacles that stretched from either wall, and pulled his arms out to their full extension and diagonally upwards. One of them shoved him hard on his shoulder, pushing him to his knees and then strapped his calves and ankles to the floor so he could not stand back up.

There were three masked, androgynous surgeons sitting nearby, on hand in case something went terribly wrong. Katara took a step forward, trying not to let on that she was scared. If Ozai was anything like Azula, he would be able to smell her fear.

"Well if it isn't my heir, I was wondering when you would have me executed." Ozai looked up, leering, "I see you brought the courtesan I asked for. Took you long enough, but I see you had to go all the way to the Water Tribe for her, so I will forgive you."

Zuko took a step in front of Katara protectively, "Silence, father, you have no right to talk about my guest like that."

"I don't take orders from a dishonorable, scarred child." Ozai scoffed and looked away.

"Master Water Bender?" One of the surgeons held out a flask, her voice muffled by the red cloth over her face and the scarf covering her hair, "We brought you some sterilized water. Would you like us to clean and shave the area?"

Katara looked questioningly at Zuko, who shrugged, he hadn't a clue. She was the expert.

"No, no need. Thank you though, um, you will need to secure his head though, so he can't move it." she requested as the other two placed a pillow on the ground in front of the prostrate man,

The guards looked at each other and left, but came back a little later with something that looked like a cross between a scarecrow and an ostrich horse bridal, and began strapping it on the Fire Lord, who instantly began to protest. It took a few tries, but soon they had him bolted to the floor, unable to move his head in any direction.

Katara grimaced, none too thrilled about getting near the great and terrible Ozai, even if he was bound and helpless. She knelt down on the pillow and placed the glass flask beside her on the stone floor. Ozai looked up at her fiercely, but she could see animal terror then intelligent anger in his golden eyes. His striking gold eyes, so much like Zuko's, so much like Azula's.

Maybe after the long incarceration, he was more animal than man. She reached out to touch him, but he snarled and lurched forward, and she yanked her hand back. Katara hesitated, then tried again, this time ignoring the growl and reached out to touch the side of the man's face.

She tucked his long, disheveled hair up out of the way, and then uncorked the pitcher, bending the water out, and separating it into to equal parts.

"Don't move us until I am grounded." She reminded Zuko, then placed her hands on the man's temples, activating the water and closed her eyes. It took a few deep breaths for her to quiet her own mind, and then her body, which had picked the least opportune moment to remember what phase the moon was in and start reminding her of it distractingly. Katara had a vague suspicion it had something to do with Ozai's eyes, but didn't dwell on it.

She inhaled, and on the exhale pushed forward, scanning his aura and then using it to access his mind. It was not like Zuko's or one of the swamp goers minds, theirs was organized, clear, and purposeful. Ozai's was a whirl of thoughts and feelings, like she had never experienced, filled with the fog of madness and the thirst for blood. It was pressing in on her, and she pushed back hard enough to make both their heads throb.

"I came here looking for a memory, this can be quick and painless or long and difficult and torture, it's your choice." She broadcast into his head, and she became aware of him looking at her, she could see herself through him in her mind's eye. She could see the rest of the room, the guards looking bored, as they tended to when there was nothing to hit, the surgeons looking curious. On the other side was Zuko his hands clasped together under his chin, silently praying to the gods that everything would go well.

"You shouldn't be here."

Katara disconnected herself from Ozai's vision and turned her awareness towards the voice. It was a small boy, maybe four years old, she knew the boy, she had found a picture of him in the attic of the Royal families house on Ember Island. She knelt down, looking the boy in the eye.

"I know, but I have to find something, I'm looking for a memory of Ursa, can you take me there?" She had never encountered more than one awareness in a person's head before, but the child at least seemed harmless. He walked over and began tugging on her hair, exploring as small children tended to.

"Mommy says I shouldn't play with Ursa, Mommy Ila says she is _unnatural._" The boy used the big word, emphasizing it to impress her, then stuck his thumb in his mouth.

"Why does she say that?"

"She says Ursa's real daddy is a fish man. She says Ursa isn't human. She says beneath her dress, Ursa has gills and scales! She says Ursa should be thrown back in the sea where she came from." The boy reached out and began poking Katara's mother's necklace curiously, as he recited what his mother had said, without really understanding it.

"Maybe you could show me Mommy Ila and Daddy Azulon? Do you remember them?" Katara asked, she would have to start somewhere, might as well start in 'childhood' and work her way through.

"I could, but . . ." The boy trailed off, looking over her shoulder.

Katara swallowed and turned around and stood. Ozai was there, his face shrouded, fire springing up from his fisted hands and the soles of his feet. He was crowned by a huge ornamental gold flame, and the fog of thought inside the man's mind began pulling into the figure, solidifying it even more. It struck her with one of it's flaming hands, and knocked her to the ground. Pain blossomed across Katara's face, and along her side, where she was thrown.

"It's not real." She said to his mind general, wiping a smear of blood from her lip, "It's all an illusion, you can't actually hurt me Ozai, it's a waste of effort trying."

The god king figure advanced on her, growing larger as he concentrated on it, he was fighting back in a way she had not planned for. She rolled to the side, evading a blow, and leapt to her feet. She bolted into the mist, away from the strange personalities.

Ozai threw something into her path, and she stumbled into the memory before she knew what it was. She was kneeling between Azulon and a young Iroh, looking at the floor, someone who she knew was mother Ila was kneeling next to her older brother, on the other side. She watched transfixed as a woman danced, long flowing skirts and veils fluttering. Katara recognized it as swamp style bending without the bending, the woman must be some sort of spy she deduced, many of the swamp women looked fire nation.

"She bores me." Azulon said suddenly, and sent a blast of fire across the room, catching the woman mid dance. She felt Ozai reel in confusion, and look at Iroh, who was nearly a decade older. Iroh grinned at him and brought his hands up to his neck, making a face as though he was choking.

If the woman was screaming, Katara couldn't hear it, all Ozai remembered was laughing at his brother's antics.

Suddenly it blinked ahead several years, Iroh's wedding, Ozai was angry. Some stupid woman was taking away his favorite big brother. The ten year old sat sullenly in the shade, throwing rocks at the turtle ducks. Someone came and sat down next to him.

He looked up, the girl smiled, it was Ursa, she had Zuko's smile, "Why are you so mad?"

"I'm not mad." Katara felt Ozai's anger flaring, how dare she!!

"Well, it's mean to throw rocks at the turtle ducks," the girl leaned in closer and whispered, there was something different about her voice, "Don't do it." It was compelling, enchanting, Ozai dropped the rocks and stared in awe at the girl. Katara felt a crush explode in his chest, and a blush spread across his face. It was almost adorable. Almost.

"Do you have scales?" Katara cringed at it even as she felt it leave her mouth. Boys could be so charismatic, couldn't he see a 'you have very pretty hair' would have worked so much better?

The child Ursa looked offended, "No!" She stud up and walked off in a huff. She felt Ozai's sudden crushing disappointment in himself. He picked up a rock to throw into the pond, but then dropped it, the appeal of it lost. She had told him not to do it after all.

The memory faded and Katara was left blinking in the dark fog of an empty mind. She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. Had Iroh really been that way as a kid? Unlike Ozai, he had looked fourteen or fifteen, definitely been old enough to understand what his father had done, and he simply laughed it off, like the woman's murder had meant nothing.

She frowned, putting her hands to her face, trying to block out the memory that was not her own but would be forever burned into her mind. Something stepped in front of her, it was the God King incarnation of Ozai, and it reached down and grabbed her neck, lifting her off her feet.

Katara gasped for breath, "It's not real, it's not real," she repeated, "You can breathe if you want to, you're sitting in a room full of people, full of air, nothing is around your neck . . ." It was no avail, she could say it, but it was another thing to believe it.

"Katara!!"

They both turned and looked for the voice that had cut through their minds. She recognized it as Zuko's.

"Katara, breathe! She isn't breathing, why isn't she breathing?"

Her cheeks began stinging horribly, and suddenly she was gasping and blinking in the afternoon light, one of the surgeons pinching her nose, apparently preparing to give mouth to mouth while the others held her in place so the connection wouldn't be broken.

"I'm here!!" She said hurriedly, dropping the water, panting, adrenaline pumping through her system. Feeling hot and bothered, she detangled herself from the healers and took several steps back.

Zuko grabbed her shoulder, looking pleading, "Anything?"

"Maybe." Katara steadied herself against him, her knees feeling wobbly, she wondered know long she had been kneeling, "He is fighting me though, I'm getting nowhere fast, he tried to strangle me, he kept throwing out unpleasant memories to make me lose focus."

They all quieted, thinking of how to proceed.

"We could sedate him if you like." One of the surgeons suggested suddenly from behind her mask, "It will make his mind sluggish."

"Can you still do it if he is sedated?" Zuko asked, intrigued.

"Oh, umm . . . I think so . . ." Katara twirled her hair nervously, "I'd rather not go back in without something up my sleeve."

One surgeon were rifling through a chest, one was grinding up leaves with a mortar and pestle, and another was distributing their signature facemasks.

"Fire Lord Zuko, Master Water Bender Katara, Please put these on while we sedate him." The surgeon handed them both masks like he had on, they went over nose and mouth and tied in the back of the head.

She put on her mask.

The male surgeon placed a towel over Ozai's head and bent the ground herbs on fire, blowing on them so they smoldered and began smoking, then placed the whole bowl under the Ex Fire Lord's nose. The smoke wafted up into his face, but the man held his breath, trying to avoid it. They waited almost a quarter of an hour with no apparent progress, Ozai barely breathing, and threatened the medical personnel with death.

"This may take a while," The surgeon said apologetically, holding the smoke closer and closer to the agitated man's face, "I am sorry, Master Water Bender, but he is being most uncooperative. Perhaps you would rather step outside for a breath of fresh air? You look pale."

Zuko had a sneaking suspicion they might try something to get the smoke into his father's lungs that they would rather not have him see. He reached out and took Katara's arm, desperate times called for desperate measures, he would turn a blind eye if he had to. If it meant Katara's safety they could stick needles into the man for all he cared.

"Katara, lets go take a break, let them concentrate on what they're doing."

One of the guards led them to a small lounge, overlooking the Fire Nation Bay. Katara could just see the capital on the horizon from the window, she pulled the mask off, leaned out and inhaled, letting the smell of the ocean and the cries of the gulls calm her nerves. The Earth Kingdom shores were nicer, in the Fire Nation, everything always had the faintest smell of soot from the factories.

She felt his fingertips graze her back, she knew what was coming.

"What did you see?"

"I couldn't get any leads on that night, but . . ." Katara turned around to face him and sat on the sill, her body yearning to lean into him. Who was she kidding anymore, it was not just her body on it's own accord anymore. She wanted him with all of her. "He said that Ursa wasn't human, that she was something . . . IS something unnatural." She corrected herself quickly, "He is deliberately keeping memories of her and Azulon far away from me, he keeps throwing things from his childhood at me. He knows what I want."

Zuko's palm still rested on her back, and she reached out and caught his shirt, pulling him a step closer.

"Unnatural?" Zuko asked, too thoughtful to notice that he was being rearranged, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know, he said your grandmother lay with a fish and Ursa had gills and scales under her dress."

"She doesn't have gills and scales under her dress." Zuko said, leaning his elbows on the frame and looking out, "I would have noticed them."

All this talk of things under people's cloths was starting to turn her on against her will. Katara changed the subject, "He was really little when he told me that. I don't think he understood what he was saying, he was just parroting it back."

"What?"

Katara sighed and slid off the sill, striding across the room and away from the Fire Lord. She didn't want to think about Ozai, this was supposed to be her break from Ozai. "I'll tell you everything later, I promise, I just need to relax for a little while, It's a lot scarier than it looks bending yourself into someone else's head like that." She rubbed her own head with the heels of her hands, and closed her eyes. She began to pace back and forth, feeling as though Ozai's slimy presence was still on her. Maybe it was.

Zuko caught her as she passed and sat her down in one of the chairs, "Last time I checked, pacing agitatedly around the room was not relaxing." His voice turned husky at the end of the statement, and his hands found her shoulders, massaging them gently.

Katara swallowed, was it just her or did the room suddenly get very hot?

"Now, I can think of several other, more relaxing activities."

Very, very hot?

Katara found her voice, "Zuko, don't tease! The moon rises in a few hours."

"Mmhm, I know the drill." He had leaned down and was whispering into her ear, "I'm not teasing though, teasing implies that one has no intention of following through." He was purring like he had the night he tied her to the tree. Had he been trying to be seductive then too? Probably.

"Is that your 'interrogation' voice? Do you want me to tell you where the Avatar and my brother are too?" Katara tried unsuccessfully to sound cross.

"I'll save you from the pirates . . ." He pressed his lips to her neck, his voice baiting her, his words dripping with hidden implications.

"Go jump in the river!" she stammered, her breath coming quickly, in short, icy pants very visible in the waiting room whose temperature was feverish and climbing.

"Try to understand . . ." he pleaded into her neck, his voice wantonly persuasive, "I am trying to restore my honor . . . let me help you . . ."

Katara shivered as she baked, and leaned up to kiss him, freezing the moisture on his lips in her ardor. He adjusted, leaning over her on the chair, his hands finding her wrists and pressing them into the armrests.

"Are you going to tie me to a tree again?" Katara asked breathlessly when they finally broke apart.

"If that's how you want it, I'm flexible."

"I think it's your turn to be tied to the tree." She informed him.

He pressed a knee into the cushion and kissed her again, nibbling her lower lip coaxingly. Reaching up, she began running her hands across the silky fabric of his shirt, then around to find the clasp of his belt.

There was a knock at the door.

Katara growled and screwed her eyes shut, "Whoever they are make them go away! Make them go away Zuko!" She whined. She felt his weight leave the sofa and heard his footsteps across the room, then the door opening.

"Fire Lord Zuko, the patient is sedated, will the Master Water Bender try again now? The sedative only lasts for a few hours."

Katara kept her eyes screwed shut, "I'll try again. We'll be out in a minute." She opened her eyes and swiftly stood up. Pacing across the room, she stopped in front of the Fire Lord and pointed at his nose.

"You're saved by the surgeon now, but you're in A LOT of trouble later!"

Zuko watched her go, spirits he hoped so.

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Mai sat on the grass, applying kohl to her eyes using the reflection of herself in one of her knives. It had been almost an hour since the screaming stopped. She was starting to get bored just sitting there.

Azula suddenly splashed though the mist of the waterfall, dragging herself out of the water. Her torso looked good as new, not a bruise or snapped rib in sight.

"What took you so long?" Mai complained.

"I'd fractured my seventh rib." Azula sounded proud, "She held out through her fingers and her toes, but she was just too attached to her eyes. Come on, we need to get out of here before she finishes healing herself."

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**Sorry! I didn't mean to like, ransom the chapter, I was just worried like 20,000 words would be too much in one sitting. I was looking out for you!! **

**I overdosed on Zutara once, it is not fun. I ended up waking up on the floor of my room the next morning with no memory of the previous night, surrounded by sketchbooks full of love fanart, a sharpie tattoo of the blue heart with the read flames logo, and **_**I Want You **_**by Savage Garden playing on a loop on my itunes.**

**It was weird.**

**Zutara: Always in Moderation.**

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**Current Distractions:**

**- Classes**

**- Fan art**

**- Ishmael by Daniel Quinn**

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**Ursa's lullaby is from the movie Little Red Riding Hood, the one that stars Isabella Rossellini. Best version ever in my opinion.**

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**Read and Review!!**


	22. Chapter 22: The Fire Lady

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** BurningIce

**Rating**: R (yea, you heard me)

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** Avatar is owned by Bryke and Nick. Zutara, however, belongs to us all.

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**Chapter 22: The Fire Lady  
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"Listen to this Toph, listen!!" Ty Lee squealed, wiggling back and forth in delight, "'What is this strange power over me your eyes possess? My Lady, I do believe you have me hypnotized.' he leaned in, claming her lips with his own. 'No! No! My Lord, we mustn't!' Isoa stammered delicately, when he pulled away, 'I fear we may start a war with our lascivious behavior!!' 'I care not, my love! I would fight and kill a million armies for the pleasure to die gasping in your arms.' he spat back, claming her again for his own. 'Oh harder, or I fear I will die! I-"

"What is that?" Toph asked, her arms circling and covering her stomach. She still wasn't sure about this new shirt, but boys did really really seem to like Ty Lee, so she must be doing something right.

"It's a romance scroll!" Ty Lee took the blind girl's hand and pressed it to the paper, "It's about a Fire Nation princess on vacation on ember island with her servants when this Northern Water Tribe warrior washes ashore half drowned and she nurses him back to health, then they fall madly in love!!"

"Nobody even talks like that, and you can't wash all the way from the Northern Water Tribe to the Fire Nation, that's impossible!" Toph informed her.

"That's not the point Toph!" Ty Lee tried to explain, "The point is their deliciously scandalous, forbidden affair!! It's the ultimate story of wanting what you cant have. I should get this for Katara."

"Why?" Toph tugged on the hem of her shirt.

"Umm . . ." Ty Lee stiffened, "I . . . er . . . Well, no reason, the um, Water Tribe is mentioned . . ."

"Don't even bother lying." Toph crossed her arms.

Ty Lee swore, and hid her face.

"It has something to do with Sparky, doesn't it?!" Toph tried not to sound accusing, at least, she considered not sounding accusing, briefly. It was pretty easy to read Ty Lee anyways, even without eyes, she could see right through her, "I can't believe it, I thought there were some strange vibrations going on between the two of them. After she swore nothing was going on to Aang too!!"

"Don't be angry Toph!" Ty Lee clasped her hands together, pleadingly, "It's not any of our business!"

"It is too my business if it involves Aang!!" Toph debated back, "and they were in BED together, maan, and I encouraged it!!"

"Well, that might be partly your fault then . . ."

"Not the point!" Toph held up a hand to silence the older girl.

"You're soooo assertive, it's really great! You're really cute when you're bossing people around!" Ty Lee complimented, Toph was starting to suspect it was her way of trying to get out of a confrontation. She and Aang were like two peas in a pod with their jumping around and running away.

"Don't change the subject, Big Top!" Toph stepped in close, "They're dating aren't they?"

"Well, dating is so strong of a word . . ." Ty Lee shifted her weight back and forth, as though she wanted to run away, but couldn't in good conscious leave her blind friend in the middle of the Fire Nation bazaar with little idea of how to get back.

"Then what would you call it?"

"Umm, enemies with benefits?"

"That wasn't animosity I felt vibrating through the covers last night!" Toph vowed never to sleep in the same bed as those two again. Aang could go it alone, let Katara deal with being in between two of her men all by herself. Toph conveniently forgot that she had technically been instigating, such silly, inconvenient details did not concern her.

"Vibrating?" Ty Lee asked curiously.

"Never mind!!" Toph crossed her arms, "The point is that someone should tell Aang, I think he is just waiting to get back together with her."

"Well, I guess that's something you should take up with her." Ty Lee retorted crossly, "Your aura is turning green, you're jealous!"

"I'm not jealous, I'm infallible."

"You know, it's good news for you if they break up for good. The Avatar will be free for romantic advances!"

"I'm not being some rebound girl!"

"Is the glass always half empty with you?" Ty Lee patted her on her head, a lot more difficult than it had been months ago as they were almost the same height, "I know what will cheer you up, let's go cheat at some gambling . . ."

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Katara knelt down in front of the tall, muscular man again, though this time she was much more acutely aware of the Fire Bender a few paces behind her, and the ex fire bender tensed in front of her. In fact, she worried she wouldn't be able to focus enough to even reach a meditative state. Who did he think he was teasing her like that?! She replaced the mask over her nose and mouth, and once again touched the face of the crumpled elegant man bound powerlessly before her.

Ozai looked up, a thin string of saliva hanging from the corner of his mouth that tangled in his long loose hair. Somehow it did not make him seem repulsive, quite the opposite, he looked almost endearing, with his beard trimmed and his long hair brushing the floor. She noticed his gold eyes were swollen and unfocused, as he squinted them at her. His mouth hung slack, as though his tongue felt too big for his mouth. She blushed, remembering what his son could do with his tongue, as she adjusted herself into a slightly less uncomfortable kneel.

"Ursa?" He asked suddenly, trying to strain forward and see better, "Is that you? I knew you would come." His voice cracked in relief, and he muttered something about waiting for her every day, and their idiot son. He might have been tearing in the smoke, he might have been crying, Katara couldn't tell. She looked at Zuko, hoping he would intervene, but he didn't, he gestured for her to roll with it.

"You did?" she asked, rolling with the drugged hallucination. She shifted from one side to the other, feeling uncomfortable playing the man in such a manner.

"Ursa, please touch me, don't be like that, I said I was sorry." Ozai was trying to nuzzle her hand, and she shot Zuko a glare over her shoulder. Was she supposed to play along?! She turned back to the man, and ran her finger over the leather strap that held his head in place. One of the healers returned the bottle of water to her side and uncorked it for her.

"Where did you go? I hired bounty hunters to look for you. I'm so sorry, not a day goes by where I don't regret it . . ." Another drop of spit trickled from his lips, spattering on the stone floor between her knees. Katara prayed that it was the moon's phase that was making his lips look inviting, that or the thrill of seeing her long time nemesis bound and helpless at her feet, anything other than attraction.

Upon hearing his words, Katara turned to Zuko in horror, was it possible that although Ozai had to do with Azulon's murder, he had nothing to do with Ursa's actual disappearance? She could see the prince's face had become ashen, and he braced himself against the wall with one hand. Ozai sounded angry, had he sent the bounty hunters to fetch her back as a queen and Fire Lady or to bring her home in chains?

"It doesn't matter now. You're nothing now." Ozai looked away, his bloodshot eyes half lidded, "You hate me, don't you, leave me."

Something inside of her snapped and Katara grabbed for her water, whatever the eel of a man knew about Ursa, she was intent on finding it. If he knew why, or how, or when, or anything, she was finding it. She refused to come back to Zuko empty handed, not after all that. He had helped her find closure with her mother, and she would be damned if she didn't return the favor. She pressed her hands to the man's temples, and concentrated, dimly aware of him crying out at the sudden intrusion, but she was through being gentle, she had a job to do.

It helped to no longer think of him as human. He certainly did not seem it. The turmoil of his mind had settled to a sluggish trickle, the drugs making it difficult for him to think.

"Stop! You're hurting!" She heard the child's voice say, but she shoved it away, crashing through his mental barriers. What went around came around.

"You killed my mother!" She shouted back, channeling her anger and excitement, "You're a monster! You're lucky you fought the Avatar, I would have killed you!!" She didn't know if it was true or not, she doubted it, but he didn't know that.

The child Ozai materialized in the mist of his consciousness, it's face and body no longer whole. It looked like a wax or clay figure that someone had left out in the sun for too long, it's face dripping and contorting in a grotesque manner. It staggered towards her, waving it's arms.

"Where is the memory of that night?!" Katara seized the boy's shoulders and shook him, her fingers sinking deep into his body.

"What night?!"

Katara shook him again, bits of him spattered off and melted away, "Azulon! Show it to me!!"

The kid screamed and pressed his hands to her face, Azulon flooded her mind. He was huge, he towered over her, his face in shadow. He was not the Fire Lord yet, he was young and handsome, but she could feel her host trembling. The small boy terrified out of his mind.

"Fire Princes do NOT behave in such a manner!!" The man advanced and Ozai retreated, dropping to his knees like a scared puppy.

"I'm sorry father!" He pleaded, crawling on hands and knees to cling to his father's pant leg, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'msorryi'msorry!! Please don't punish me!!"

"You'll thank me when you are older." She heard Azulon say, Ozai's eyes were screwed tightly shut, "It is my job to make sure you understand. When you dishonor me you dishonor the entire Fire Nation!!" Ozai had opened an eye a crack, staring up at his father.

His father kicked him in the face, stomping his foot down on the smaller boy. Katara felt her jaw break. Felt it open like a door. She screamed, or Ozai did, and clutched his face, blood pouring from the boy's mouth. From her mouth.

"Thoory!! Thooory!!" Ozai was stammering through his blood filled mouth. He began to cry, long loud gut wrenching sobs.

"Don't Cry!!" Azulon kicked him in the ribs several times, "Men don't cry! Men don't show weakness!! Men don't show emotion other than anger! Especially Fire Benders!!" Katara felt all the air in her lungs get violently forced out her mouth. Ozai crawled on his elbows and knees, trying to flee his father.

"Don't RUN! That's worse than crying, you cowardly dog!" Azulon grabbed him and hauled him up, shaking him violently. Ozai screamed and wet himself, holding his hands up to shield his face.

"You're useless! You'll never live up to your brother or your title with that attitude. I expect more from you Ozai." Azulon had dropped him in disgust and clipped out of the room. Katara lay there with Ozai as he sobbed, laying in an expanding pool of his blood. He curled up into a ball, trying to press his unhinged jaw back into place with his small shaking hands. Katara separated herself from the boy, sitting down next to him.

The memory faded, and the collapsed boy stared at her in terror, blood still soaking down his front. She reached out to touch his face, to help him sit up, and his body melting under her fingertips as he fled into the back of Ozai's consciousness. Katara let him go and staggered back. She wondered who had been the better father, Azulon or Ozai. She took a deep breath, exhaling it through her mouth, she was vaguely aware that it was difficult as she had to breathe through the mask.

"Azulon is dead." She said sharply, broadcasting it to Ozai's mind, "He can't hurt you anymore." She breathed, the sun was setting, and her body was starting to feel tight and uncomfortable. The moon would rise soon and her power trip would increase threefold, she would have to pull out then, she doubted she could maintain the mental embrace after moonrise, she would be too diverted. She took another deep breath for good measure, trying to quiet the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach, among other places.

"You're not Ursa," Katara peered through the mist, looking for the source of the voice, "You look like one of those heathens from the far south." A man approached, swirling together, he had more definition than the boy, but still looked as though he would melt any second. Ozai must have really been focusing.

Katara stared, he couldn't be much older than she was, maybe early twenties. He looked like Zuko, only prettier, slighter. His face was clean shaven, and his eyes were calculating, he had grown from the terrified child to a haughty young man. He reminded her a little bit of Jet, the mix of confidence, arrogance, and anger at the world was strikingly similar. He was also shockingly attractive, even more so than Zuko with his long hair and unmarred features. He walked purposefully towards her and Katara got ready to dodge. Ozai placed a hand on her exposed stomach, his face turning to a grin. Azula's grin. The same one she had seen in Aang's memory, the grin that meant whatever was going to happen next would be excruciatingly fun.

For him.

"I saw the way you look at my son, you know." He leaned in and whispered into her ear, his lips brushing, his breath tickling, "If you want heat though, little water wench, you should come to the source." He stalked around her like a cat, his fingers stroking across her midriff, across her back, then back around as he circled. Her body responded . . . he was so handsome . . . She snarled, pushing him hard away.

"You took my mother from me!!" She growled, trying to hang onto her anger, "You're slime, Ozai!! You torture people!! You massacre nations!!"

He dropped to the floor and knocked her feet out from under her, and she landed with a thud on her back, the wind knocked out of her. He was upon her, he straddled her, pinning her wrists to the nondescript ground near her head.

"You invade my mind, you look at my memories without permission, and now you refuse me the comfort of your body?" He touched her mother's necklace curiously as his younger incarnation had, "I've been alive for twenty years longer than my idiot son, and I could teach you things you could never dream!!"

Memories danced in front of Katara's eyes, women straddling her hips and rocking back and forth, pressing them into the mattress, hearing them scream the Fire Lord's name. Usually in ecstasy, sometimes in pain, their voices pleading. She saw concubines, whores, noblewomen, commoners, and what might have been a few men, all panting and moaning loudly. He dangled the memories and then yanked them away, he had proved his point.

"I want to see the night Azulon was murdered." Katara insisted, glaring up at him.

"What do I get out of it?" His body was liquefying, Katara smelled smoke, the surgeons were giving him another dose, and the drugs were making him lose concentration.

"I'll leave your head and never come back." It sounded like a good deal to Katara.

"But, after the initial shock, I find I rather like it, I am alone in my head all the time, alone in my cell, I am lonely for some feminine company." One of his knees slid between hers, parting them. One of his hands cupped her breast, and he looked up at her surprised, his fingertips crashing into her piercing. He looked down to investigate, and Katara took advantage of his distraction to begin struggling again.

She arched her back, trying to throw him, "Get off me Ozai!! You're disgusting, I am a third your age!" She clamped her knees together, and his leg gave a good deal before he seemed to notice and solidify it.

"I know, isn't it nice? You know, for me." He nuzzled against her ear, whispering, "Don't be like that . . . if you cooperate, I'll show you the memory you want." Ozai leaned in to kiss her. She head butted, ramming her forehead into his perfect nose. It simply mushed, like she had hit mud. He reeled back, looking startled and wiggled his nose back and forth.

It reformed.

"You can't hurt me in my own mind."

He leaned in and kissed her, mockingly. She bit him, but he ignored it, the pain, if there was any, not hindering him in any way. Katara's mind whirled, trying to come up with a way to outsmart him. She refused to go back empty handed. Not when they were so close.

Spirits, Ozai had not been joking about being an experienced kisser, her stomach flipped over as he ran his tongue expertly over the roof of her mouth. She swore and shoved him, her hands sinking into his chest to nearly her elbows. He sat up, dragging her up too, but he began to collapse in on himself, dispersing back into the ether like dust in the desert.

She looked around, the grey of his unthinking mind and then pulled herself to her feet.

"I think I preferred the God King over the Horney Teenager." She said to him in general.

His mind swirled, as though trying to reform, but then settled, he must have been heavily sedated by then. He could not seem to form a thought. Katara headed off, as long as he was not stopping her, she would have a look around. She focused on Ursa. She called up a mental picture of the woman and with a twitch of her finger in the water and threw open the door to his memories by force.

She heard him grunt, and everything began to shake, he head throbbed horribly, the air seeming to contract on her. He must have been writhing in pain, and she held on fast to the connection. He was such a baby, how badly could it hurt? More time, that's all she wanted, a little more time.

His memories were not ordered, neatly or sanely, they were strewn across the ground like smashed hourglasses, and she had to plunge her hands into them to begin to get a feel for where she was in the man's life. She glazed through the pictures, feeling cautiously for the right time frame. Ursa at a banquet, Ursa with her 'father' at the beach, Ursa playing with her sisters, and Ursa talking to mysterious women in the shadows. Ozai had many memories of her, in fact, he always seemed to pay attention to her whenever she was around. Most of the men did, and even Katara could feel the inexplicable draw of her voice, and the indecent, probing desire to see if all of her was really human.

Katara finally found one where they were speaking, and she let herself sink into the memory, looking around hopefully.

"You're looking lovely tonight," Ozai was saying, "for someone of the Avatar's bloodline."

Ursa took offence, her smile hardening, but Ozai did not pick up on it. Katara did.

"Thank you Prince Ozai. I am honored by your complement." She was looking around, crossing her arms, "You look very imperial," she didn't want to be there, she was looking for a way to slip away from the man. Classic female body language, Ozai was too conceited for the concept to even cross his mind that she could be just phoning it in.

Katara felt her arm go up, Ozai was offering it to her, still unaware there was any problem, "Well, Lady Ursa, you should be honored. Would you like it if I took you for a walk around the palace gardens? It's such a lovely night." Was he being sarcastic? Or was his voice always that cruel?

Ursa looked away, "Thank you, but, actually, I was hoping to go speak with Prince Iroh, I wouldn't want to be a bother." Her blush was not unnoticed by the youngest fire prince, and she felt jealousy burn green in his chest.

"Yes, he will be happy to tell you all about how his WIFE is now PREGNANT with his first child. Have you heard?" the man's voice was scathing. Ozai did not seem to advocate subtlety.

Ursa glanced over at Iroh and his wife sadly, anxiously, and the prince followed it.

_Was that Iroh as a young man?!_ Katara was smitten herself just looking, he had sure grown up from the boy feigning death on the dais.

"Oh . . ." Katara heard the hurt in the woman's voice, and it made her own heart sink in empathy, "I had not heard . . . I've been at the Fire Academy all year . . ."

A woman walked by her as she stared at the floor and discreetly put a hand on Ursa's shoulder, squeezing once without a word and then walking off. That seemed to remind her of something because she straightened and looked resolutely at the long haired man in front of her, "Yes, I would love to go for a walk with you, I hear you have graduated top of your class, you must tell me all about it." her voice lacked enthusiasm, but Ozai didn't detect it. Katara felt his body flutter in anticipation as Ursa put her hand in his and gave a coy smile.

She pulled herself away, it was clear Ursa's friend, whoever she was had wanted Ursa to flirt with the Ex (or future) Fire Lord. She was in no way interested in him.

But why?

She followed the threads again, one theme was common. Ursa did not love Ozai. Anyone who was not completely self absorbed and dense would have noticed. The Fire Prince did not, and she patently sat through their kissing sessions, their cuddles, their foreplay, scanning for something. Anything.

"No scales, no gills, I checked everywhere . . . ."

Katara froze the memory and flicked back to it, concentrating. There was something strange about it.

Ozai was groggy and sated, almost passed out in the bed, basking in the after glow. His future (or present, Katara wasn't sure) wife was pressed up against him, brushing his sweat plastered hair from his face, she looked about eighteen to Katara.

"Nope, no gills." Ursa had a disconnected look in her eyes.

"I should check again . . . to be sure . . ." Katara flinched as she felt the man's hand, effectively her hand, caress up the woman's inner thigh to her core. She made a mental note that Zuko owed her BIG time for this. No lightening bolt was worth watching his parents get intimate.

"Go to sleep Ozai." Her voice had changed, Katara was sure of it. She strained to see through Ozai's closing, blurry lids, he was nodding off, but she was fully alert, watching the naked woman pressed against her.

_She had ordered Ozai to go to sleep and he had!!_ The realization hit her like a charging komodo rhino. _She had ordered him not to throw rocks at the Turtle Ducks and he had stopped!! _ She began digging through his memories like they were rocks, scanning them and tossing them aside in her franticness.

_Tell your father he should dispatch troops here . . . . Put some of the budget into monsoon relief . . . you will not sleep with concubines while we live under the same roof . . . None of that nonsense, you will behave yourself . . . . Stop being suspicious . . . I love you, believe me, I love you . . . Tell me how can I save my son . . ._

Katara dug her heels into the ground and grabbed for the last memory as it flew by. It was something she needed. Ursa sat in a chair by her vanity, she had been crying, her eyes were red and puffy.

"Ursa! I argued for hours! There was nothing I could do!!"

"That man, that THING is crazy!!" Ursa put her face in her hands, "My baby . . . he is going to execute my baby!!"

"I am not pleased either," Katara felt his anger, his son might be a coward and a sissy, but he was the only one he had at the moment. He was leverage. The only leverage Ozai had now that Lu Ten was dead. Katara could see that the man didn't give a damn what happened to Zuko after he had seized the throne. Ursa made a mistake leaving him with his 'caring' father.

"Tell me how I can save my son!" She ordered in the strange compelling voice she had.

"Murder Azulon." Ozai felt the words leave his lips unbidden.

Ursa looked at her hands, "I have orders . . ."

"Orders?" Ozai asked suspiciously.

"Forget what I said, Prince Ozai." Katara felt the memory slip into oblivion, luckily Ursa had only ordered her husband to forget it. It stayed preserved in Katara's.

_Orders? From who?_

"Murder Azulon," Ozai repeated as though it was the first time, "He has gone mad in his dotage. Iroh is stricken with grief and will not be back for weeks. He is Azulon's favorite, he could talk him out of the execution, but won't be home for weeks, he won't be home in time to save his nephew. Azulon scheduled the execution for noon tomorrow!"

Ursa burst into fresh tears at this point as she visualized her little boy burning at the stake. Ozai thought it too, and he imagined how humiliating it would be, Zuko would undoubtedly cry and wail and scream for his mother. He would not act like a man as he faced agonizing death.

_He's NOT a man!!_ Katara mentally yelled at him, _He's a CHILD!!_

"I wish Iroh was here . . ." he heard her mumble as she wrapped her arms around her torso and doubled over.

Katara flinched at the slap, feeling the white hot anger coursing through her host's veins. It knocked Ursa from the chair she sat on, and she sprawled on the floor, clutching her cheek, looking astonished.

Ozai's voice was scathing, and sparks shot from his mouth, "Snap out of it woman! Iroh NEVER loved you!! NEVER!! I DO!! WHY URSA?! WHY AM I NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?! Do you think you're better than me? I'm the Fire Lord, you're a HALF BREED!! Your precious Iroh cannot protect your son, OUR son, the one we had together!! I can."

"You can if I make you Fire Lord." Ursa hissed back still clutching her stinging cheek, "It was YOUR greed that sealed my son's fate in the first place!!"

"My bloodline is strong, and will remain that way. I can seize power in my brother's absence, but I will be the first suspected of fowl play." Pride blossomed in his chest, satisfaction that his perfect brother had finally suffered at the hands of fate. He hoped Iroh would commit suicide out of grief, then Ursa would forget about his brother and love him back.

Katara felt sick inside, he had loved his older brother so much as a child, what had changed? She thought back to Azulon's taunts, and the hundreds of furtive glances Ursa cast at the First Born Prince. Had Ursa had an affair? Iroh was terribly handsome . . .

"You want me to murder your father." Ursa seemed neither angry nor insulted, she almost sounded . . . . excited. Katara understood the rush, the thought of ridding the world of a useless evil old man that had destroyed people she loved. Understood it, but would never act on it.

"If I have an alibi, I can seize power, then I'll execute some cur in a public way, and we can rule as Fire Lord and Lady." Ozai was coaxing, unaware that Ursa already fully intended to do it.

"Go for a walk." Ursa said, fixing her hair in the mirror, not looking at him, "Make sure you're seen far far away from your father's quarters for a very long time."

Ozai stepped in behind her, pleased that she agreed, he grinned and nuzzled her ear, putting his hands on her waist. She was angry. He liked it when she was angry. He hoped she would still be angry when she got back.

He stepped forward, exuding a sensual confidence that Katara was unfamiliar with, she could feel him feeling it, but could not relate.

"You're sexy when you're plotting murder, you know, the dungeon is-"

"DON'T!" Ursa whirled and shoved him so hard he staggered back and tripped over her chair.

"Ursa, what the HELL?!" Ozai snapped.

"Don't EVER touch me again." She said, her voice taking on the strange, compelling undertones, "Never!" She turned and stepped into her shoes, and clicked out of the bedroom.

Ozai watched her go, flabbergasted, he always knew she didn't really love him, but he had never expected her to come out and say it.

"You didn't take a weapon!" he called after her. How was she to kill someone without a weapon? He decided that he didn't want to know. It would be better if he didn't know anything and made sure that he was seen all night. He stood and smoothed his-

"HOW DARE YOU!! YOU FUCKING HYPOCRITE!!" Katara felt herself hauled out of the memory, Ozai shaking her mercilessly, the whole mindscape vibrating. Her head throbbed, her stomach lurched, she clawed at him. How long had she been sifting through memories? Long enough for him to sober, apparently.

"LET ME GO OZAI!!"

"FIRE LORD Ozai!" he corrected, "How dare you! You violate my mind, you rape my memory! Filthy peasant I will show you things that you will never forget!"

Katara's eyes widened, Ozai stood on his balcony, looking out over the cliffs at Zuko and Mai kissing. They looked happy, Zuko looked so happy. Katara choked up in envy, he was touching her, he was smiling at her.

The scene shifted.

Ozai was walking down the hallway, he heard moans coming from the doors. Suddenly he heard Zuko cry out Mai's name, in a soft strangled cry. He rolled his eyes, turning to one of his servants.

He continued walking down the hallway, "Summon my daughter. I'll need her to get the Lady Mai plenty of 'tea', I don't want him siring any bastard heirs accidentally."

Katara yanked, the memory disintegrating around her only to be replaced with another.

Ozai hadn't wanted to kill the thing, but didn't want him around to dishonor the family either. He reminded him too much of Ursa. Ursa loved Zuko more than she loved him! Her own husband. Childlike hatred brewed in his chest. How dare she love her children more, how dare she love another man more? It was almost too convenient the way Iroh had volunteered to go with the boy, he would have to keep an eye on the old brute. He was beginning to go soft. Twenty years earlier, Iroh would have been advocating to not even providing Zuko with a ship, let alone accompanying him.

_You're jealous of your own son?! You're pathetic! _Katara spat at him. She gasped suddenly, horrified. Zuko stepped out of the palanquin, and squared his shoulders. His eye was bandaged, and most of his hair had been singed off, he had pulled what was left into an unruly ponytail. His whole head was burnt, though she could see clearly which parts of it would scar. _No wonder he shaved his hair all off . . ._ Katara thought, looking at the ravaged landscape of her comrade's face, the thought of dragging a razor over the still burnt skin made her shudder.

Azula, who must have been twelve, next to him leaned over, "Look at him, father, he looks like he is going to cry!" she sounded delighted.

"For all our sakes, I hope he does not, even though he is banished, it will humiliate the family."

"Of course, father, I hope he does too." She replied in a voice that clearly stated otherwise.

Katara lurched and punched Ozai, hard, pulling out of his mind in a mad recoil, even as he hauled on her, trying to keep her still. He wrapped around her anchoring her in his mind, sucking her back down. Her head throbbed and she began to feel woozy, panic rising in her chest.

He threw her to the ground and it rose to meet her, sliding around her like it had that horrible day they had been trying to trigger Aang's Avatar state. She tried to sit up, tried to pull away, her head began to pound, the more she struggled, the more it hurt. They were grappling mentally then, and everything became really loud. She heard someone screaming, and someone laughing, both had Ozai's voice. She clawed at his face which he was leaning closer to her, trying to push her into another memory.

With a teeth shattering, bone crunching wrench, she was back in her own head, gasping through her mask. She grabbed for it, disoriented, trying to figure out how to pull it off. Zuko's arms were around her suddenly, and he pulled the damn thing up off her nose, and pulled her head to his chest, stroking her hair. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, her eyes stinging from the smoke in the room.

"'Tara? Why are you crying?!" He was saying into her hair, but she wasn't paying attention. She was staring past him at Ozai, her eyes wide in terror. He had almost trapped her!

He grinned back at her past Zuko's arms, his tongue darting out, licking his lips and then making a suggestive gesture with it. Katara gave him a disgusted look and then buried her face in Zuko's chest, inhaling deeply. He was untying the mask awkwardly with one hand, as he knelt next to her, barking orders to the surgeons.

"Open the windows, get her some air, she is suffocating!!"

"I'm fine, I'm not going to break." She protested, he didn't need to know just how bad things got.

"Prince Zuko, You're girl is a good kisser."

_FUCK._

"What?" Zuko looked at his father, then shook his head, "Put him back in his cell, he is talking nonsense."

"Oh yes, she has those unusual chest piercing . . . ."

Zuko froze, then stiffened, "Back to his cell! RIGHT NOW!"

The guards grabbed him, fumbling with their keys, "Yes sir! We're working on it, sir!" one promised, and the chains began to loosen. Ozai began to laugh, he doubled over, as the chains stopped supporting him. Zuko pulled her away from the maniacally laughing man, towards the window.

"I'm fine, Zuko." Katara repeated, her head was throbbing and her heart was racing, and she had just received the scare of her life, but she was quite positive that she was fine. To illustrate it, she pulled away and stood up.

The room spun, and her vision swam, all the blood rushing from her head, or to her head, she wasn't sure which. However, her head was definitely receiving the wrong amount of blood, and she remembered briefly seeing the ceiling before everything went black.

...  
...

Sokka walked into the stables, his trusty schedule in one hand, his scabbard in the other. Suki's shift guarding Aang was up, and he was going to take his turn. When he walked in, he found the two of them kneeling across from each other, with their forearms in their mouths.

"What the hell is going on here?" He asked, flabbergasted, "Wait, I don't want to know."

"Suki is teaching me how to give a 'hickey'." Aang explained, pulling his arm out of his mouth.

"Suki!!"

"He asked!!" Suki defended, "I even told him maybe it was something he should ask you or Zuko!"

"You know, I don't think you need to coach the kid on how to . . . you know, I mean, it's not something that really takes practice." Sokka lectured.

"So, this is it?" Aang was looking at his newest bruise, "I remember it hurt more last time."

"Yes, well, I think Azula used her teeth a bit mo-" Sokka elbowed her, and she stopped to glare at him, "What?!"

"You are probably the most corrupting big sister . . .Come on Aang," Sokka motioned for him to get up, "Let's go somewhere where corrupting Kyoshi Warriors won't bother us."

"Heeeey guuuys!!" Ty Lee trotted in, hauling a rather dejected looking Toph behind her, "Wow! The gangs all here!"

"Except for Katara and Zuko, should they be back by now?" Aang sounded anxious.

"Hey Ty Lee, Toph, back so soon?" Suki straightened, changing the subject, that was one thing she refused to explain to the Avatar.

"Toph doesn't have shopping endurance built up yet." The acrobat explained with a smile, "But since she is grown, she really needed new cloths, all her pants were halfway up to her knees, I swear, puberty is hitting you like a charging moose lion."

Flopping down between the Avatar and the Kyoshi Captain, Toph shrugged, "I hope it doesn't expect me not to hit it back."

"If anyone could kick the stuffing out of puberty, you could!" Aang encouraged.

"Damn straight I could." Toph preened.

Ty Lee sat down too, "Ooh, Suki, you have a nice hickey there, Sokka been practicing?"

"No,"

Sokka glowered.

...

Ursa leaned out over the water, the barge making incredibly good time down the river. June was sulking off to her left, Ursa couldn't for the life of her guess why. The woman was so sour. She leaned on her elbows, calculating in her head how far they had gone.

"When do you think we'll be disembarking? I'm seasick." The woman complained.

Well, that explained the sourness.

Ursa shrugged, "Why don't you go lay down if you're not feeling well?" she asked innocently.

"I'm not laying down. Only silly girls prone to fainting and giggling have to 'lay down'" June joined her at the railing.

"Suit yourself." Ursa replied, if the bounty hunter wanted to torture herself over some self imposed concept of machismo, who was she to stop her?

June growled, and Ursa had the feeling that she had missed something in translation. June was a very curious girl after all. Maybe the complaint had been an attempt to strike up a conversation, something to take her mind off her stomach.

"You know," Ursa started, "That guide that took us through the great divide was taken with you."

"He was also about forty years older than me."

"Nonsense, he couldn't have been a day over twenty five years older than you, what's a few decades between friends?"

"It's about the same as a few decades between benefactors."

"Come now June," Ursa chided gently, "Money is a powerful aphrodisiac."

"Nobody loves money more than I do," June stretched like a cat, her nails digging into the railing, and her butt wiggling back and forth, "But not even money love could make that man appealing."

"I think you're just putting on a front."

"It must suck, huh? Having to sleep with someone you don't want to."

Ursa shrugged, "I had orders to conceive heirs."

"Some orders,"

"I was not pleased about them either, luckily Ozai was a very handsome man. He still is, and I do not resent my lovely children on account of their dreadful father."

"I still think that you should go see your boy." June put her head in her arms, "I mean, come on, we're going to be right there."

"I couldn't go seek him out!" Ursa protested, "Though, I suppose, if someone who knew where I was, were to go and tell him and lead him to me, perhaps someone with an animal that could follow scent trails, and he found me on his own accord. Well, there would be nothing that I could do about it." She smiled at June.

June smiled back, then paused, "What would they, this hypothetical tracker, get out of it?"

"You would have to ask him, as he would be their hypothetical customer, and I the bounty."

June stood, cogitating for several minutes, then said at last, "I suppose that would be pretty practical, nobody could say that you had intended it. Nobody could say that you broke with your orders."

"Of course," Ursa waved over a crew member, "How much longer until we dock."

...

Katara sat up, her head still spinning, Ozai, the surgeons, and the guards nowhere in sight. Zuko was kneeling at the foot of her bed, his head cradled in his arms as he slept. She looked out the window, the sun had set, and the moon had risen, though her body could have told her that much. They appeared to have left the prison, though Katara had no clue where the Lord had moved her to.

She reached out and patted his arm to wake him, he shouldn't be sleeping kneeling on the floor like that, he would wake up with the most awful back ache. He yawned and raised his head, blinking the grogginess from his eyes.

"You're awake!" He crawled onto the bed and sat down, "'Tara, you passed out for hours! I thought you had gotten stuck somewhere, you know, between minds or something."

"I'm fine." She told him again, patting his hand reassuringly and smiling. What had happened with Ozai after she had lost consciousness? If anything did, Zuko, at least, did not seem mad about it.

"For the record, I am no longer going to believe you when you say that." He simmered, "It's always a lie!"

"Not ALWAYS . . ." She persevered, but before she had assembled a supporting argument, he was kissing her. Kissing her like he had convinced himself that she was lost to him, trapped somewhere between his father's mind and her own.

She sighed softly as he broke the kiss, and then pulled him down next to her, "I found the memory of that night." She confessed, looking at the ceiling, "Ursa, she did kill your grandfather. Your suspicions were true, but, Ozai didn't know where she went. He hadn't planned for that."

Zuko swore, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

_Way to kill the mood, Katara, you couldn't have waited until AFTER he had ravished you out of desperation and guilt?_ Quickly, she began recounting what she saw, everything was a little muddled, but she struggled her way through the love triangle, the mysterious parentage, the vocal talents, and finally, the discussion before the murder. As she talked, she made sure to leave out any implications that Ozai had proposed. That was just another thing on the long list of things that Zuko never needed to know.

When she was done, he swore and banged a fist into the mattress.

"I can go back in if you want." The water bender offered, hoping he would not take her up on it.

"No way am I letting you back near that man!" Zuko fumed, then lowered his voice, saying in a horrified tone, "I think he . . . I think he WANTS you!!"

Katara did her best to look shocked and scandalized, "Really?"

"Damn it," Zuko put his head down on her chest, cuddling up under her chin in a surprisingly childlike manner, "I don't know what else to do, Maybe I could hire June to look for her, but I don't have anything that belongs to her."

"Nothing?!"

"Father had all her things burnt a week or two after she vanished."

Katara stroked his hair and remembered the way Ursa had looked at Zuko's uncle, "What about Iroh? Do you think he might have something of hers?"

"Maybe, but, I doubt it," Zuko shook his head, which translated into rubbing the rough skin of his scarred brow across the bare skin of her chest, "I still can't believe all this time she . . ."

Katara shrugged, "He was very handsome when he was younger." Zuko stopped, and she added hurriedly, "I mean, I assume he was . . ."

"So what now? We're out of leads . . ." He was letting it brush off his shoulder for then, after all, he was the one in her arms, not his uncle.

Katara thought about it as she stroked his hair. What were they to do? How much time could they reasonably devote to this endeavor? He should be finding his sister and getting his country back together, not going on a wild mother goose chase.

"I should go see Hama." She said at last, "You should write your uncle."

"You're not going to go visit anyone until we have my sister behind bars." He reprimand.

"I can protect myself!"

"I don't want you stumbling into the throne room all of a sudden looking like Aang!!"

Katara thought of Azula's mouth and shuddered.

The jerk bender did have a point.

Jerk bender also needed to stop rubbing her with his scar, or she was going to jump him.

"So where are we? Still at the prison?"

"We're in the infirmary. It's part of the complex." Zuko swallowed, fidgeting with the blankets. His thought train had gone from Aang to his sister to hickeys to Katara, to him giving Katara hickeys faster than he cared to admit. He kicked himself for having a one track mind, all the trains of thought would eventually go to one place. That place just so happened to be naked-town.

"Okay," Katara's voice jerked him back to fully clothed reality, "So, first we find your sister, then we look for your mother. Jeez Zuko, I spend more time tracking down the women of your family . . . If you ever have explorative daughters, you are screwed."

_I hope not in that order . . ._ Zuko smiled, "If one of them runs off, I'll know just who to call to fetch her back."

"Oh no, I won't have time to baby sit, I'll be very very busy." Katara informed him.

"Doing what?"

"You know, Water Bending, and stuff." Katara waved her hand loftily, as though it should be obvious. She gasped as Zuko began kissing her neck.

"Go on," He murmured into her neck, prompting her.

"And . . . helping rebuild . . . umm . . . the place . . ." She moaned suddenly as his mouth found a sensitive spot. Her muscles tightened beneath him like a lute string, as she fought to finish her sentence. She felt him smile into her neck, he was enjoying flustering her! Now he was really in for it . . .

She buried her fingers into his tresses and pulled him up for a kiss, her head beginning to feel light from something entirely unrelated to water bending, or fainting. His hands were sliding up under her top, and she helped him pull it over her head, revealing her bindings underneath. The relaxed atmosphere of the room turned warm and purposeful as slowly, layer after layer of their cloths were peeled off and discarded.

Katara let herself go, pushing the fire bender into the bed and straddling him with wild abandon. She had fought him several times, she knew she wouldn't hurt him, and even if she did . . . well, she knew he could take it. After all, you didn't spend the better part of a year slamming someone into slabs of ice without developing a certain expectation of their tolerances.

His hands had found her hips, and he began tugging at her skirts, trying to figure out how they came off without actually looking at them or devoting any of his attention to them. He gasped as Katara bit down hard on his neck, eagerly pressing her bare torso into him, pinning his hands between them, her piercings scratching in the most pleasantly painful manner. He gave up, the whirlwind of impatient water bender in his lap would deal with things like her pants when she was good and ready. He untangled his hands, and pulled her hair aside to watch her.

She pressed her lips to him, listening to his sighs and his writhing movements to guide her. The scar on his chest blossomed out in front of her, and she ran her fingers over it. His chest seemed a lot better now, but she decided further investigation was needed. She let her fingertips stroke across his ribs, then down his stomach, teasingly sliding under the hem of his pants, and then away. She could feel him, totally aroused, pressing into her inner thigh, and she let herself rock against him inconspicuously as she moved.

Stroking his fingertips up her back, he admired the coiled muscles he touched, feeling them relax and contract as she shifted around, and he cried out softly in surprise and delight as her tongue flicked out across one of his nipples. She urgently explored him with a desire that made even a master fire bender feel shivers run down his body to his toes. His chest, his arms, his palms, his stomach . . . he growled, bucking up into her, pleadingly, he barely had time to murmur her name before her mouth was crushed to his again, and they both drew back as an electrical shock zapped them both.

Katara sat back, her eyes wide, her fingers over her swollen lips, and Zuko stared back in astonishment. He brought his hands up to his own lips, looking around as though the explanation was hovering in the air around him somewhere.

"What was . . .?" she asked.

"Static . . ." he cut in breathlessly before it could break the mood, and she nodded and bent over him again, her lips tentative at first, but soon gaining back the hunger they had held moments before.

He had the vague sensation that he was laying on the river rocks, a waterfall tumbling down and drenching him, the torrents of cascading liquid pressing him into the ground. He returned her kiss, matching her ardor with a ferocity all his own, his mind dismissing any thoughts of lightening in favor of pure chemistry.

He couldn't take much more of the bender squirming on top of him, taking her time, touching him, kissing him, he had stamina, but he was going to finish with his pants still on at this rate. He wanted to touch her, to taste her, the heat between them spiked. He slowly tried to sit up, but Katara nipped the expanse of stomach she was kissing and pushed him back down, a hand on his chest. He frowned and reached out to take her waist and roll her, but she grabbed his wrists and pressed them into the mattress, her nails digging into his wrists. He scowled up at her fiercely, and snorted out a lungful of smoke through his nose, she was trying to torture him to death, he was sure of it. He was about to muscle his way up and drag them both to the floor when she released him her hands going to the waistband of her pants.

Katara swallowed, wishing she had some of Ozai's sexual confidence right then, her body spurred her on, through her shyness, and she pulled the skirts off, up over her head so she wouldn't have to dismount. Zuko had stilled, barely breathing, his eyes locked on her fingertips, entranced by their movements. She began to unbutton his pants, shifting to lay next to him so she could pull them off. The Fire Lord sat up now that he was 'allowed' to, propping himself on his elbows and studying her.

The silk slid through her fingers and pooled softly on the floor, Katara barely heard it. She had never really seen a naked man before that wasn't about to be healed. Her body tightened, her stomach fluttered, and she reached out. Tentatively at first, she brushed her fingers over his knee, then up his thigh, she shifted closer, gaining confidence as she moved. Zuko reached out, his fingers guiding her's to his erogenous zones, and she lowered her head to taste him, unbidden. _Spirits, she is a fast learner . . ._

Her tongue ran down his length, exploring, and he resisted the urge to grab her hair and pull her down onto him. Her lips felt so alien and alluring, wonderful in ways he had never imagined, and he wanted more, he wanted her closer.

After three unsuccessful guesses as to which was the right strap to pull, Katara guided his hand and slipped his fingers under one of them, a quick tug, and everything came loose, pooling around her seductively. She placed both hands on his chest, and straddled him, the air freezing in anticipation.

"Are you sure-" Zuko found himself rambling, feeling like he aught to make some sort of gesture, but she silenced him with a kiss, a demanding one. As their tongues met, she sank down onto his lap, wincing softly into his mouth. His hands were everywhere, petting her, caressing her, holding her, trying to comfort her.

"Zuko . . ." Katara whispered when they finally broke the kiss, "I'm fine."

"I thought I told you that I wasn't going to believe you any more when you said that to me." His voice sounded worried, but cut off into a sharp intake of breath as Katara experimentally shifted, finding her bearings astride the man. His hands grabbed her thighs, steadying her, pulling her further down against him.

For water benders, things involving balance, rhythm, and flow were picked up quickly, and love making was no different. Katara quickly got the hang of it, and soon kicked their speed up to a gallop, reveling in the sensations of her body, and the rising of the moon. Zuko writhed beneath her like a dragon, his head tossing this way and that, tangling his hair and matting it to his face.

Was the temperature going up or down? She swore she could see her own breath, but Zuko's hair was matted with sweat, and when she reached down to touch him, he yelped, her hands like ice, or perhaps his own flesh searing. She threw her head back, feeling herself cresting, feeling the moon reaching it's zenith, and collapsed on top of him, her teeth finding his pulse. It was a feeling like she was floating, an she quaked in the sudden deluge of pleasure, the muscles of her stomach clamping down on their own accord.

Zuko was saying something . . . her name, repeating it again and again, he was tugging on her hair, she hardly noticed. She did notice however, when the air was suddenly filled with lightening, spider webbing it's way across the walls and ceiling. She threw an arm over Zuko's head protectively, flattening herself against him, and watched in mingled terror and admiration as the charges slowly fizzled out.

She sat up and stared at her lover, trying to decide if she should scold him, question him, or congratulate him. His gold eyes fluttered open, and he opened his mouth, his chest heaving.

"I . . ." he started, swallowed, then tried again, "What . . ."

Katara leaned forward and kissed him, silencing any attempted explinations, a final zap of electricity illuminating the room for an instant when their lips met...  
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**Whoo for the people who got the Dusk Blooming choke vines reference!! Wow, that was like, 10 chapters ago . . . you were really going for the element of surprise, I bet. Lulling me into a false sense of homage security.**

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**Ok, so I apologies if this sucks, I totally must have consumed at least four glasses of wine while I was typing, to, ya know, get the creative Zutara juices flowing . . . **

**You know! Whatever! It's my night off and I'm here writing Zutara fan fic, all my friends suck because they have Thursday midterms instead of Wednesday ones like cool people like me . . . :shifty eyes:**

**So, sorry if there are some spelling and grammar errors, I will most assuredly correct them when I am sober.**

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**ZUTARA!! YEA!! Dante Basco is pretty much officially on board!!**

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**I'm glad people like the lightening, it was supposed to be a play on "seeing fireworks" or "seeing stars" **

**Poor Zuko finally figured out how to separate his positive and negative energies . . . I wonder if that's how Iroh and Azula learned as well . . .  
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**Read and review! Questions, comments, sexy predictions . . .**


	23. Chapter 23: The Tavern

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: R

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

**Beta: **Ellarose C

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**Disclaimer:** Avatar is owned by Bryke and Nick. Zutara, however, belongs to us all.

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**Chapter 23: The Tavern**

With a soft sigh, the slumbering waterbender nuzzled deeper into Zuko's collarbone, a small, contented smile on her lips. Zuko couldn't help but return it and squeeze her arm gently. He wondered how she could sleep so soundly. His own mind was reeling, but he figured her exhaustion had something to do with the previous sleepless night with Toph and Aang, the strenuous mind bending, and finally the intense lovemaking.

A bit of ash fell from the ceiling and onto her shoulder and he brushed it away. He would have fun explaining to the guards how the walls had come to be charred - almost as fun as explaining to Sokka where they had been all night. How did it even happen? He remembered arching back and grabbing the bedpost, and, and... BREATHING.

Zuko shook his head. He would have to ask his uncle about that, too. He usually just zoned out when the man would start talking about tantra or women out of embarrassment. In hindsight, that might not have been the smartest thing to do. Hindsight was always twenty-twenty.

He chewed on his lower lip.

Katara shifted and threw a bare leg over his thighs, murmuring something about the Swamp Spirit. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and whispered for her to go back to sleep.

He wondered if it was fate. He wondered if this was destined to happen the instant he let her touch his scar, maybe even the instant he had landed on her icy shores in his boat over a year ago. Wondered if the very sight of her had planted a seed in his chest that would eventually grow into the undeniable blossom of attraction.

The east was beginning to lighten with false dawn. He could see it through the window. Normally he would just be waking up and readying himself to greet the new day, but now he closed his eyes and buried his nose into Katara's hair, blocking out the sun, blocking out the morning that would bring with it the roles they had to enact. They wouldn't be able to kiss or touch or be alone together. They would have to watch what they said around Aang until Katara figured out how to break it to him. They would have to pretend.

Zuko really hated living a lie, but he felt like he attracted the predicament like the komodo rhinos attracted flies.

He rubbed his eyes and sat up, then reached over and touched his bedmate's shoulder.

"'Tara, wake up."

Cracking an eye open against the light, Katara looked up at him, her expression first surprised, then confused, then finally embarrassed. She reached up and touched her mother's necklace guiltily, fiddling with it as she chewed on her lip.

Zuko waited patently for her to say something.

"Last night..." she started.

"Last night," he agreed.

She shook her head dismissively and lay back down into his lap, her head pillowed on the blankets.

"I feel like I've been trampled by a badger mole..." Katara said evasively, then rolled onto her back and smiled up at him, "but in a good way."

Zuko relaxed and let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding. He wasn't sure how he expected her to react, but he had been unconsciously preparing for the worst. He reached down and stroked her cheek, a frown contorting his features. He didn't remember Mai saying anything about being sore. Then again, she never really shared anything, she just expected him to get it right without any direction.

The scarred prince shook his head. He would have to stop comparing them or he would build Katara up the exact same way Aang had, and if he did, she would probably flee him the exact same way she had Aang. Taking a breath, he concentrated on the situation at hand.

"Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself?"

Katara reluctantly sat up and inventoried her body. She was sore and exhausted and her skin was sticky with dried sweat, but she didn't detect anything wrong. She had used her bending before she fell asleep to minimize the risk of any unwanted duplication, in case for some reason the swamp-serum was not working.

"No, no damage..." She climbed over him and out of the bed, but he caught her hips before she could slide onto the floor.

"You're bleeding!"

"Of course I bled, it was my first time..." Katara blinked at the naked man. He was much clearer in the dawn light then the moonlight. She smiled - she liked the view - and she reached down to run a finger across the scar on his chest.

"Umm..."

"Zuko, those girls in the swamp didn't call me 'Water Tribe virgin' to be ironic." Katara crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. She flopped down beside him again, and then glanced over at him with an impish smile, "My pectoral muscles are sore. You should massage them."

Zuko raised his good eyebrow, a mischievous grin on his face. "What about your thighs? They are probably sore too, right?"

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It had not taken long to get them both dressed and back on the airship, and though the medical staff was polite, they hardly seemed fooled. Katara made a mental note as she pushed her door open to talk Zuko into making some sort of donation to the place. They definitely deserved it.

She had not been expecting Suki and Ty Lee to be chilling on her bed when she walked in, but they looked like they had been waiting for her.

"There you are!" Ty Lee rocketed to her feet gracefully, then studied the girl. "Oh boy!! Katara! You're not a virgin, you did it!! That's so great!! I'm so proud!! See, I TOLD you we should have checked Zuko's room."

Katara dropped her water skins and stared at the acrobat. "How did you know?"

"It's written all over your aura," Ty Lee explained.

"Plus, you've been missing all night and you're walking funny," Suki cut in, then sighed dramatically, "Now it's only Toph who's still an innocent young thing..."

Ty Lee, on the other hand, began drilling her for details. "Was it good? I hope it was good! It better have been good! I'll kick Zuko's butt if it wasn't good!"

"It's okay Ty Lee, It was good!"

"Good! 'Cause I would have hit him in pressure points he didn't even know he had!" Ty Lee punched a fist into her open palm menacingly, "So how was it?"

"Well, I'm not sure, I don't really have a basis for comparison except in the swamp, we-"

"Eee! She did it more than once!!" Ty Lee hugged her friend in delight, "Mai always complained about Zuko's technical skill, I was worried for you."

"She was ready to pull Zuko aside and give him some tips on how to please a woman," Suki muttered, smiling conspiratorially.

"I was, I don't beat around the bush," she grinned, her voice laced with suggestion, "but then Suki reminded me that there was no way to do it without really revealing that we shared an ex girlfriend, unbeknownst to him." Ty Lee bent over and stood on her hands.

"So, what are you both doing here, besides tallying my sex life?"

"Practice, remember?" Suki told her, sobering up and using her captain-voice. "I'll let your tardiness slide this time on account of last night being your 'first night', but keep in mind you won't have access to that particular excuse ever again."

Ty Lee looked at Suki, horrified. "Suki! She probably feels horribly achy, you're still going to make her practice?!"

"I second Ty Lee." Katara flopped face first into her bed, her voice muffled as she said, "Apparently, I can't even walk straight."

"Katara, how many more days until the new moon?" she asked sternly, and the younger water bender stiffened.

"Thruugh," she grunted into the covers.

"And how many crazed fire benders are out for your blood?" Suki reminded her.

"Ouuuunnne," she moaned again into the mattress.

"And how many semi-boyfriends' lives will you put in danger if you need special protection?" Ty Lee asked.

_Damn acrobatic turncoat._ Katara thought and hauled herself up, "I thought you were on my side!"

"Here, stand up."

Katara did so reluctantly.

Ty Lee circled the bed and regarded her friend's body, chewing on her thumb thoughtfully. She shifted back and forth and then suddenly launched three or four well-aimed jabs at her comrade's torso, after which Katara felt the pain dramatically lessen. The jabs hurt, though, and she rubbed her stomach.

"Ok, that should pinch your nerves enough so that you don't try to kill yourself with a fan." Ty Lee grinned.

"Can I at least take a bath first?" Katara pleaded.

"You'll only have to take another after the practice. We're going to be sweating."

"Should I get my dagger? It's in my bag."

"Yes," Suki said as she stretched and got up, "and one of your more supportive undershirts."

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"I don't think we should be here." Mai leaned over the table, nursing a pint of something that she deemed tasted more like piss than ale. The bigheaded bartender had insisted that it was the best in the house for the two pretty young ladies.

"You whined all afternoon that we had not had a 'decent meal' since we turned rogue." Azula drained her fifth mug; people (men) kept sending them over while smiling and waving. The princess, however, showed no signs of being the slightest bit buzzed, more evidence that it was, in fact, not alcohol.

"This was not what I had in mind. It's tough." Mai straightened and prodded at the meat on her plate.

Azula grinned evilly, tossing her hair and taking a bite of the skewered meat, enjoying the opportunity to wage war with her food. It was, in her opinion, a pleasant surprise; she had never worked her jaw muscles so thoroughly before, and the tougher the fight, the more satisfaction you reaped when it was over.

"You know what your problem is?"

"I'm sure you're about to tell me."

"You're not adaptable."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mai prodded at a vegetable that might have been a water chestnut on an acid trip.

"It's something that Uncle told me once," Azula shrugged, then hissed at something nonexistent over her right shoulder. Usually Ty Lee kept Mai in line, so the acrobat's presence was sorely missed. It could be said that the aristocrat hardly ever whined at all when her ex-girlfriend was around to soothe her with the positive attention that she tried to pull from Azula in a negative form. Well, perhaps not 'hardly ever,' but she whined at least four times more without the circus freak than with her.

Mai raised an eyebrow and tentatively tried a bite of rice. She crinkled her nose in distaste. It was, however, extremely difficult to sit starving and not eat anything while there was a plate of steaming food in front of her.

"It tastes like sawdust," she informed the princess. "We should go someplace nicer, I have plenty of money."

"We could be recognized at a high end restaurant. Here, I've seen most of these people's faces on wanted posters from here to Ba Sing Se. I doubt that we're in any danger - from the guard, at least."

"What do you mean, 'the guard, at least'?"

As if on cue, one of the scarred, burly men slammed a hand down on their table. He had a long braided beard, tattoos on his neck and a shaved head. He was also extraordinarily inebriated.

Flanking him were two of his friends, one tall and gaunt, but actually rather attractive - if you ignored the knife scars that carved up his face and the eye patch over his right eye. He looked a little bored with the whole ordeal and was playing with his long brown hair. The other was old and chubby with a long beard and beady eyes almost covered by his enormous eyebrows. He carried an axe that was almost as big as he was, and his armor was covered in spikes, making him look like an despondent cactus.

"W'hasa pretty gal's lick ya two doon 'ere?" he asked, swaggering over the table. "Yer zum good 'ookers, ya'no?"

Mai nudged Azula "Is he saying we're lookers or asking if we're hookers?" she asked under her breath, fingering a dagger.

Azula stood up, examining her nails, uninterested. "What do you want, peasant?"

"Meen mah boyzz 'ere on derin 'ow much ya charge, zzzz new 'ere, haven't seen ya."

Azula cackled, flashing them a flirtatious Ty Lee grin that made Mai miss the girl more. Nobody ever smiled at her like that anymore. Zuko never even did.

"Oh boys, we are FAR too expensive for the likes of you," Azula tossed her hair over her ear and looked at Mai, "My friend here, she costs an entire kingdom - believe me, I know - and I cost your life."

She must have made a face or something that Mai couldn't see from the angle, but all three men, drunk as they were, took a wary step back. Perhaps as hardened criminals they had a sixth sense and knew when they were outmatched.

"Actually, though..." Azula's fingers traced along the collar of her top, "I wouldn't mind having a bit of fun with _someone._ Like I said, though, it'll cost you your life, payment up front."

Mai stood up hurriedly. "Azula! You swore no more killing!" the aristocrat hissed, grabbing the princess's forearm.

Azula whirled on her, her eyes wide and teeth bared in rage, "You wretched bitch, have you any brains at all under that hair?!"

"'zula?" The older one snapped to attention. "As in Princ'ss 'zula wit' a two hund'rd thous'nd coin bounty on errr head, Princess 'zula?"

Azula leapt, twisting in the air as the men scrambled to grab her. She landed on her stool as the three of them drunkly crashed into the table, sending her and Mai's plates flying and cracking the wood under their weight.

"Eey! Git 'ack ere!!" the man slurred and grabbed for her again, but she slammed her fist into his face, then her knee into his stomach and he crumpled to the floor, clutching his cheeks, blood cascading from between his hands in such a torrent that suggested his nose was badly broken.

Mai stumbled to her feet and surveyed the room, checking the angles. There was not much to pin a stampeding man to, and she cursed her luck, dodging to the side, hoping to get them in between her and a wall. She hated throwing to kill. She dodged to the left, barely evading a huge ax, and reluctantly flung several shiruken. They slammed through the older man's feet and easily pierced the leather and bone, pinning the man and tripping him, and putting an end to any future exertions like walking or standing.

Azula catapulted herself onto another table, knocking over several mugs of ale - though nobody seemed to mind. Most were cheering and banging the table, enjoying watching their fellow riff-raff get emasculated. Mai tripped over the drunk one while trying to reach her fiancé before she got carried away. She jerked to a stop; she looked down in horror to find that he had her leg and was drawing his sword with his free hand. She yanked, but his grip held, and she grabbed another bunch of knifes from their sheaths and stabbed them down, pinning his sleeve to the floor. By then he had sword in hand and lurched up at her, but he didn't get far, though, before he sprawled on his stomach, surprised by the unexpected immobility of his wench-grabbing arm.

The final man was gasping for air, pinned against the wall by his neck. Azula grinned up at him, her fingers grasping a tiny stilletto digging so far into his side that her fingers were inside the wound, and blood ran down her arm to her elbow. It was soaking through his cloth shirt.

"Spirits, it's been too long!" she sighed against him, twisting her digits and the knife deeper, stroking her fingers across what she suspected was his liver. "Oh, you're petrified, poor thing, and silly me, I haven't given you your money's worth yet - you won't scream, will you?"

"Hey!" Mai called across the room, careful not to use her friend's real name again. The rest of the bar had not seemed to have heard it over the cacophony of the bar. Azula did not hear her over the din of cheering drunk crooks, or if she did, she ignored her. The boy thief coughed, a mouthful of blood spilling over his scarred lips.

Pressing her hips into the man's, pinning him to the wall with them, she reached up and licked a line of blood from his mouth with the tip of her tongue.

"Oi!!" The bartender banged on something hard to catch the attention of the masses. "Now, who here wants to buy a drink for the two most dangerous girls we've seen in here since June left for the Earth Kingdom?"

There was a chorus of 'here here's, and Azula stepped away from the wounded man with a cruel smile, then wiped his blood from her fingers on his shirt as he slid to the floor. Someone tapped her very tentatively on her clean elbow.

"Restaurant policy." It was one of the barmaids/whores. "You kill em, you drag em out back." She gestured with a thumb, but then raised her voice to a shrill screech, "I think she might need help with the big ol' one, though. He's as fat as a platypus bear!"

Several men jumped up to help as a pretense for emptying the princess's victim's pockets and relieving them of any valuables. Mai and Azula watched as their prey was hauled out and chucked in the dirt to sober up, heal, or die.

"Watch our stuff, Mai, I forgot your knife in that scarred up bum's side."

Mai didn't seem to care - at least, she didn't complain. She was too busy trying to edge away from all the men who were now eagerly making offers.

Azula padded out to the back and scrounged around. She passed the older one with the broken feet hobbling off, leaning heavily on the side of the building. It only took one look at her for him to find the strength and the pain tolerance to run the hell away. Next, she stepped over the unconscious bald one with the bad attitude. She gave him a stomp on the face for good measure, making sure his nose was broken beyond repair. Finally, she found the youngest one.

His expression once again turned from agony to terror, and he tried to back away on his elbows, and he inhaled to scream. Azula covered his mouth with a finger and surveyed his once handsome face.

"You know," She informed him, "You remind me of someone. So, maybe I won't kill you. Maybe, if you're fun. I won't promise anything." She dropped to her knees and yanked the knife out of his abdomen.

"Get the hell away from me you psycho bitch!" He hissed, then howled as the knife was replaced in his side.

"No no, all wrong, you will have to be more respectful than that." She grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked him up to a kneeling position. "Oh.... this will be _fun._ Have you ever been to Ember Island?"

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Katara whimpered as she held the lunge, her right leg positively on fire maintaining the ninety degree angle. Suki was correcting Ty Lee, and the water bender was starting to suspect the acrobat was doing things wrong on purpose to make the workout more difficult for her.

She heaved a sigh of relief as she saw Toph marching across the green, Momo perched on her shoulder. Katara made a mental note to always unpack the blind girl's things from then on if she would only distract Suki from the lesson.

"Hey, Fan Girl, Sugar Queen, Big Top, where are all the guys?" Toph asked, and Katara squinted. Was Toph wearing what she thought she was wearing? Since when had Toph started to fill out?! She was Toph! Katara half expected her to grow into a body-building man.

"Sokka said he was going to take Aang out to explore the city," Ty Lee said. "Remember? Like we did yesterday."

"Don't tell me about it, my skin is still itchy from having to pull on and off so many shirts."

"At ease, girls, take a breather."

Katara dropped gratefully into child's pose, resting her forehead on the ground as she caught her breath, sweat dripping down her neck and arms. Someone, probably Ty Lee, was patting her on her back, and she heard Suki and Toph talking.

"They're all running around, talking about some sort of party tomorrow night..."

"It's the engagement party, the Earth King and the Fire Heiress will be officially engaged, they can start planning the wedding then," Ty Lee explained. "Don't you guys keep up with the royal gossip at all?!"

"Not all of us have twelve sisters writing us letters about this and that every hour of the day," Suki told her, amused. "You should see Kyoshi Island, Katara, we had to expand the aviary to make room for all the hawks!"

"I bet," Katara said into the sand.

"You need a few more jabs?" Ty Lee offered sympathetically. "You look miserable."

"Yes please, PLEASE," Katara told her from under her arms, "PLEASE knock me out!"

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...

The Fire Lord had just finished washing when his servants caught up with him. The royal steward outlined his schedule for him as Zuko flinched every time one of his ladies-in-waiting ran a comb through his hair. It was far more tangled than usual in the back, and he blamed Katara fully for it.

"Then at ten, you are to see three petitioners, and then at eleven thirty, you have a meeting with the Sun Sages, then in the afternoon, I was told you would be escorted by the Avatar - you will both, I assume, be present for the signing of your cousin's marriage contract - I believe the two families have finally come to an agreement over her dowry and stipulations. Then tomorrow afternoon and evening, there is an elaborate banquet in celebration, all the nobles will be there, I assume you have arranged for an escort that is not the Avatar?"

"Huh?" Zuko had only been half listening, paying more attention to the yanking of his scalp, then corrected himself. "Pardon?"

"An escort, a female one," Manu, his steward clarified. "It would be unbecoming of you to show up without one, I could send for the Lady Mai... or I could ask around to see if any of the nearby families have a poised and beautiful daughter you could borrow for the evening."

The women doing his hair swept it all back into a formal bun and sighed. He was pretty certain her name was Lyre, though he had trouble telling them apart as they seemed to move in giggling, similarly-clad flocks, usually ladened with laundry or food.

Zuko thought about it. He would much rather spend the evening with Katara than an ambitious fire maiden who would take the evening as her own personal opportunity to outline to him all the reasons why she would make an amazing Fire Lady. Unfortunately, he knew the waterbender would be hesitant because Aang would be there, and she was trying to keep their affair under wraps until a bit more time had passed. Zuko didn't like it, but he didn't blame her. He didn't want his young friend to feel like his girlfriend had dumped him just to run off with the Fire Lord, even though it did have certain elements of truth to it.

"I'll arrange it," he sighed, trying to remember if Ty Lee or Toph owed him a favor.

"Good." Manu returned to his list. "I have taken the liberty of outlining the speech you are to give during the toast - I'll leave it on your desk - and then while you are there, I strongly recommend that you talk to the Earth Kingdom ambassador about increasing trade. Yesterday evening we received a messenger hawk from your uncle saying that he will not be able to make it tonight as he is unwell, so you will not have him as an advisor."

Zuko nodded. "Did he say why he was sick?"

"I have a copy of the letter..." The man ruffled through a few scrolls. "He said, 'My apologies, Nephew, a burn from an old flame is not as healed as I thought. It makes my chest ache, and I do not feel up to the voyage. I have a sinking feeling that it is contagious. Iroh.' I have left the original on your desk."

"Can I see the one you have?"

The man handed it over and Zuko studied it. His uncle's sentences were short and choppy, and he only did that when he was trying to say something without actually saying it. Zuko had noticed that habit when Iroh was trying to lead him to the conclusion of a lesson or a realization of a fact.

_My apologies, Nephew, a recent burn from an old flame is not as healed as I thought. It makes my chest ache, and I do not feel up to the voyage. I have a sinking feeling that it is contagious, and may soon ensnare us all. _

_Iroh._

He reread it, swallowed, and then stood up.

Lyre made a sound of protest, as she was in the middle of securing his bun, but held her tongue.

"Where is Katara? Is she on the grounds?"

"Master Katara?" The man frowned, "I am not sure, I believe I was told she and the Kyoshis are spending the morning in the outdoor training grounds. Chieftain's Son Sokka and the Avatar have gone into the city to the theatre - Master Sokka said something about pitching an accurate play of the Avatar's journey." Another woman walked in, carrying his ceremonial armor and struggling under its weight.

"Okay," Zuko sighed. "I'll be down to the throne room as soon as the ladies are done. Please fetch Katara for me, it's urgent."

Through the reflection on the mirror, he watched his steward bow and exit the room, leaving the door open. The elder servant with his armor cleared her throat.

"Fire Lord Zuko, if I may be so bold...?"

"Go on," Zuko rubbed his forehead, trying to clear his mind.

"Perhaps your highness might want to put on a different shirt, one that covers his highness's neck a bit more?"

Embarrassed, the teenager craned his neck around and studied it in the mirror. "Damn it, Katara!" He had not even noticed the bruises! "Yes, please, a different robe."

After they had fetched him a more concealing top, the two women lifted the pads over his head and then began flipping the snaps of the chest plate. As they worked, he studied himself in the mirror and found himself lacking. He looked very much like a scared seventeen-year-old, not the leader of a country.

He could feel the butterflies fluttering around in his stomach. Katara had told him that there had been a bit of a love triangle between his mother, his father, and his uncle, but she had only mentioned it. Zuko could feel it in his bones, his uncle had seen his mother.

Recently.

It had to have been in the last few days, in fact, which meant she was alive.

It was a relief, and he relaxed, but then the butterflies turned to bats. It meant that she was avoiding him. It meant that she didn't want to see him. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. Did she hate him? Was she disappointed? Insecurities piled up in his brain like leaves as he tried to puzzle it out, each idea bringing him closer and closer to dissolving into hysterics.

...

...

"I think that went well," Sokka preened as he and Aang exited the theatre.

"They promised not to cast a woman as me!" Aang was pleased.

"I told you all they needed was a little direction." Sokka browsed through the stalls as they walked, ignoring the people pointing and whispering that the Avatar was amongst them.

"Is it just me or is almost every woman here pregnant?" Aang asked, grabbing onto his friend's arm, uneasy from the staring.

"It's called a baby boom," Sokka explained, picking up a forged ring and holding it to his face. "Think I should put a ring on my eyebrow?"

"No. So, what's a baby boom?"

"All the soldiers come home and... uhh, want to start families with their, uhh... wives." The warrior picked up a handful of imported Water Tribe beads and examined them.

"Sokka, can I ask you something?"

"Yea?"

"Something personal?"

"Sure, why not." Sokka picked up a bag and examined it, comparing it to the outfit he had on.

"If you could, would you pick Yue over Suki?"

"What brought this on, Aang?" Sokka asked as he put down the bag he was admiring, stunned.

"Just wondering... you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"I don't know." Sokka stroked his chin. He looked upset, but tried to indulge his friend. "I think that I would pick Suki."

"Why? 'Cause she was your first kiss?"

"What? No, 'first' has nothing to do with it." Sokka scratched the back of his head, "It's because she challenges me, she pushes me to do things that I wouldn't have thought I could do."

"So, it's cause she beats you up?"

"No, Aang." Sokka ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated.

"Oi!" They both turned around. The cart owner stood there, arms crossed. "Supporters of the Fire Lord can't shop here!"

Aang and Sokka looked at each other, totally lost.

"Did you hear me?!"

"Excuse me!" Sokka balled his fists. "Do you know who this is? This is the Avatar!!"

"Sokka, maybe we should just go." Aang tugged on Sokka's sleeve.

"Tell that to my sons who died for nothing in the North Pole!" the man insisted, slamming his hands down on the table. "I was told they were killed when the Avatar became a koi fish and sunk the ship he was deployed on!!"

"Sokka!! We should go!" Aang tugged harder, "Lets go! Right now."

Looking from his friend to the shop keep, Sokka's shoulders slumped.

"All right, let's go, Aang."

...

...  
"Good girl, Nyla." June patted her best friend on the snout and held the doll under her nose. The shirshu whuffled and snuffled at the thing and then began sniffing around the beach. June stepped back to stand next to Ursa, and the two women watched as the animal sniffed around.

"How long's it been since you were on Fire Nation soil?"

"Too long," Ursa replied, fiddling with her nails. They lapsed into silence, which June spent studying the woman through the corner of the eye. Ursa glanced at her and faked a small smile, then looked back at her nails, slightly uncomfortable from the scrutiny.

"Nyla has a trail," June said suddenly, "Mount up." With a few long bounds, the bounty hunter crossed the distance to her pet and nimbly scrambled up into the saddle. Ursa swung her leg over her ostrich horse and followed behind, pushing the beast to its limit to keep up with the galloping mammal. Although the bird had stamina, asking any creature to maintain high speeds for so many hours was difficult.

Right, then left, then back, the group wove through the trees, June gently steering the blind beast through the trees and around the rocks as the shirshu stayed glued to the trail. June felt the rush of the chase; now they were getting somewhere! Soon they would find the spoiled princess and she would collect her bounty, soon she could begin training with Piandao and become a sword master. June smiled and leaned forward in the saddle as Nyla loped up a hill, paused, and then followed a path along it.

Hills gave way to slopes which gave way to mountainside, and then the trees broke. The animals filed into a clearing where the ruins of an old house stood. Nyla snuffled around, slamming through the old doorway and taking down the wall. June had to abandon the creature's back or risk being knocked off by debris.

"Show yourself, Princess Azula," she called, surveying the area. There was no sign of a fire, though fire benders did not need tinder to cook, but most everything had been disturbed, beds had been unmade, and dust shaken from curtains.

"The trail is cold here," Ursa yelled, and June walked along the roof to where it looked over the old overgrown courtyard.

"How do you figure?"

"The Mongoose Dragon dung is several days old, they must have camped here for a while then moved on."

"Nyla and I will do a sweep of the area, we'll see if we can find the newest trail, I hope the girls did not come and go much. You search the house, see if you can find a hint of where she went." June whistled and called for her mount, which cantered around the side of the house, a huge toothy grin on her face.

Nyla thought Nyla did good.

June jumped on her as she passed, then ordered over her shoulder, "I'll come back for you at sundown. Stay here."

Ursa watched the woman ride off to do her sweep and rolled her eyes. She was the customer, and the Fire Lady, and a higher rank in the order than the younger girl was. It took guts to order her around as she did.

A quick sweep of the house turned up some singed and bloody sheets, some discarded foodstuffs, and 'I'm waiting, mother' scrawled in ash across the wall of what must have been Azula's bedroom.

Ursa blinked back tears.

_So, that's how she wants it..._

She sat down on the bed and gasped, the midday light shining in through the hole in the wall. There were brown splotches all over the blanket and mattress. Someone had to have been bleeding pretty hard, and she knew it was her daughter. She just knew it.

The older woman turned on her heels and found her ostrich horse. The poor creature was panting heavily and trying to graze and sleep and drink from the dregs of the dragon trough all at the same time. Ursa unloaded her belongings and swung up into the saddle, clicking her tongue at the reluctant beast.

...

...

Zuko yawned on the dais while the meeting droned on, vaguely wondering where Aang was - he still hadn't come back from the market with Sokka. He was not overly worried; the streets were easy to get lost in, and one could end up walking for hours through what had initially started as a half hour stroll. Plus, they all knew how much Sokka secretly liked to shop.

Why were his mother's family and the Earth Kingdom ambassadors so picky about their negotiations? Back and forth, trading animals, gold, jewels, titles, deeds, companies... it was starting to get ridiculous. They should be pleased that she was marrying a king, and the king should be pleased that the Fire Nation accepted his proposal, even though it would probably be dangerous for a Fire Nation noble in the Earth Kingdom for the next few years.

He wiggled back and forth. Even on the cushions, his feet were beginning to fall asleep, and he decided to exercise a bit of political power. Parting the fire that surrounded the dais, he walked out onto the floor.

"Enough arguing, if an agreement cannot be reached in the next hour, we'll reconvene in one month's time."

Everyone began to protest, and Zuko smirked inwardly. Nobody would want to push the proceedings back any further, so it was good incentive to finish it up.

"Fire Lord." One of his advisors waved him over, and Zuko stepped closer to the man as the negotiations increased in volume behind him.

"Master Katara is here."

"Good, send her in." Zuko turned to go back, but the man cut in quickly.

"Perhaps you'll go out to see her, she has been... exerting herself, and is neither clean enough or properly attired to be seen at such a prestigious meeting."

Zuko was about to open his mouth and argue that she was his guest and that she should be able to 'come and go' as she pleased, but then thought better of it. He knew her well enough, she was vain, and would not appreciate walking into a room of the most prestigious Fire Nation nobility soaking wet and sweaty from bending practice.

"Silence!" Zuko turned and the room hushed. "We will take a recess. I will expect the papers ready to be signed when I return." He gave them a haughty grin and they bowed, still muttering under their breath.

He found her sitting against the one of the gilded columns outside the meeting room with her hair tied up and her face flushed. Zuko smiled and walked up to her, wishing he had been present while she had been 'exerting herself'.

"Give us some privacy," he told the guards stationed on either side of the door, and they obediently bowed and moved off down the hallway out of earshot.

"Thank you, so much." Katara's voice wheezed, as though she had panted out all the mucus on her windpipe. "I think... Suki... wants to kill me."

"It's just some tough love." Zuko fished into his sleeve and pulled out the letter from his uncle. "What do you make of this?"

"Can you hold it in front of my face?"

"Katara!"

"My arms are killing me - that dagger gets really heavy really fast!"

"Now aren't you glad I picked out a small blade?"

"Mmhmm, sooo, yes?"

Zuko sighed and unrolled it, holding it out for her. She read it through once, then found a second wind and snatched it from him, rereading it frantically.

"He saw Lady Ursa, he had to have!" Katara struggled to her feet. "That's what you were thinking, right? Have you written to him?"

"I don't know what to say..." Zuko scratched his hair.

"Say that you'll send him all the tea he can drink."

"I already send him tea."

"Zuko!"

"What?!"

"Do you always give up all your leverage so easily?"

"I think you have been spending too much time with Toph!" That reminded the Fire Lord of the damn celebratory banquet. He frowned, "Katara... I need an escort tomorrow night, for a party."

Katara stiffened and looked away, "I can't, Aang's here and..."

"I know, I know." Zuko put a hand on her shoulder. "Pick someone out for me, will you? Ty Lee or Toph might agree to do it, or Ty Lee will introduce you to all her aristocrat friends."

"That's silly, Zuko, why?"

"It's tradition, and if I'm going to have to have a girl following me around until further notice, I want her to be someone you approve of." He looked down the hallway at the guards, wishing they were not there, wishing that he could touch her.

"I'll think about it." She shifted back and forth uneasily. "I don't really know what makes a good pretend date."

The door to the room opened and one of the sun sages stuck his head out, his long beard making him look like the unagi. "My Lord, they have reached an agreement. It would best to come quickly and sign everything away before they begin arguing again."

"We'll continue this later," Zuko promised, nodding his head and then turning to go. "Remember what I said."

"Remember to write your uncle!" Katara called after him.  
**...**

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**Aaaalriiiight, sorry about the longer than normal wait . . . I am lazy and busy, a dangerous combination.**

**So, thank you for reading, I hope you liked it, I was really excited, someone wrote me a little drabble that I put below italicized. They didn't leave their name or anything, but you all should check it out.**

_Zuko needed her; needed the wholeness that he felt with her. He wasn't sure if it was love or if he was ready to give his heart to her, but he couldn't imagine living the rest of his life with out his 'Tara. He leaned in to kiss her again, but his sated lips met Katara's barring hand.  
Katara studied him as the confusion spread across his face. For the first time, she really looking at the young man who had seen her at her best and her worst. Zuko was the only person she knew who could match her passionate nature, mentally and physically fulfilling her as a individual. Somehow, she knew he would be the only person who could understand that about her. It was missing with Aang. She was never herself with him, just some child's dying dream. With Zuko, she was Katara. Nothing else. And that was the most beautiful realization she had ever had. _

_A tear slid out from her eye, and Zuko tensed nervously. _

"_What's wrong? I swear if you say you're fine again –" He was cut off by Katara's sudden desperate embrace. It felt as those she was trying to bury herself in his collar bone. Zuko had no idea what brought this on, but held her naked form securely. "'Tara..."_

_Hearing his name for her made something leap inside her stomach. She kissed his scarred check, nuzzling the uneven flesh. "I'm so glad you have this scar."_

_Zuko heart fell. "Katara please don't joke like that."_

_She kissed him again. "I'm not joking."_

_The Fire Lord was more than uncomfortable. He knew full well how the wretched thing looked and felt. Mai never liked it. He turned his head in a feeble attempt to hide the mark from Katara. "You don't have to pretend... I'm not – it must repulse you."_

_Katara pulled back to look at him, a few tears still running down her face. She shook her head in disbelief when she realized he was serious. "No... Zuko." She cupped his cheek and pulled him back to look at her. She could see the pain in his eyes and smiled reassuringly. "With your scar, you don't look like a monster."_

**So, not part of my fic, I didn't write it, but it's a fanfic for my fanfic, which I thought was really neat. Think how deep it could go! Man... trippy...**

**...**

**Well, I will have another chapter up soon, hopefully, In addition to fanart and drabbles, I am taking bribes in the form of a paper on the history of photography, as that is what is standing between me and fanfic-writing time.**

**...  
Any speculation on the future? I can never tell when I am foreshadowing too bluntly or too subtly. **


	24. Chapter 24: The Last Airbender?

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: R

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** You know what I own? Nothing. Good guess!

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**Chapter 24: The last air bender?**

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It was official, Sokka and Aang had gotten hopelessly lost. They had noticed that they were being followed about halfway through their shopping trip and started taking evasive action. That meant ducking down side streets and hopping across rooftops until they had lost their pursuers. In doing so, they had lost their bearings and Finally Aang had to scale one of the tall buildings and search out the palace.

"We need to head east." He explained to Sokka, landing next to him, "It looks about a half hour walk away, maybe two miles."

Sokka groaned, "Why do you think those guys were following us?" he asked from where he had flopped down on a pedestal of a statue of a man on a dragon.

"I don't think that I want to know." Aang replied, "Hopefully just to intimidate us."

"Look!" a woman told her child as they walked across the plaza, "It's the Avatar!! See his Arrow?"

Shuffling, Aang gave her a small smile and waved to her kid. He took in her ragged appearance as they walked away and turned to Sokka.

"Is it just me or does everyone look a little worse for wear?"

"It's not just you." Sokka rose, frowning, "I'm sure Zuko is doing everything he can though, I mean, nobody loves his people like Zuko does, It's probably just a recession or something, I don't know."

"Yea," Aang agreed. Neither of them knew anything about economies, but it was clear that the Fire Nation was suffering. They sat in silence for several minutes, watching people come and go through the square, most carrying baskets of food or fabrics.

"Should we get going?" Aang asked, "Speaking of Zuko, I was supposed to meet up with him ages ago, I hope he isn't worried."

"He will probably send out a search party soon." Sokka admitted dryly, "He could have warned us that there were some activists hanging around that are less than thrilled with you."

Aang stiffened, putting his hands to his face, "I really didn't mean to hurt anyone!"

"Hey hey." Sokka patted his friend, "It's not your fault . . ." Cheering up the Avatar was not usually his job, and he looked around, hoping Katara would materialize and take over for him.

"It is though, I'm the Avatar!"

"You know what would cheer you up? Taking a ride on Appa, You should take Katara to see that crazy water bender. A good long ride will make you forget about all this, right?"

Encouraged by Aang's small nod, Sokka continued, "You should go tomorrow."

"Cant tomorrow, remember? Tomorrow is the Engagement Party."

"Then the next morning." Sokka threw his arm around his younger friend as they started heading in the general direction of the palace, "I bet a good chunk of time together . . . away from Zuko, would really help you sort out your problems."

"I don't know, She's been keeping secrets . . ."

"Girls always keep secrets." Sokka waved his hand, blowing air through his lips dismissively, "If I had a coin for every time I discovered something about Suki that I didn't know, I would be a rich man."

"Really?"

"Yea, she kept things from me because she thought that I wouldn't accept her, that I would reject her, but it's no big deal, you're the most accepting person I know, it should be no trouble for you, just be sure you're supportive when she reaches out." Sokka advised, stroking his chin.

Aang thought back to all the times Katara had 'reached out' to him while they were alone together and swallowed hard.

"What if she already did and I . . . sort of . . . wasn't?" Aang wrung his hands together anxiously.

"Aang!" Sokka looked exasperated, "Why?!" he managed to articulate between slapping the heel of his hand to his forehead.

"I don't know."

"Well, I guess, I don't know, Look Aang, I like you, and as a friend I am advising you that you should make your move soon while there is still time. I know it's not really my place, and I really shouldn't mention it, but, just keep it in mind."

"You mean that . . ."

"I mean that water tribe girls who are old enough to marry and as pretty as Katara don't stay single for long . . ." Sokka turned to him. "Arnook is trying to play matchmaker for one thing." He conviniently left out his own involvment.

"I'm not sure . . ."

"Not sure about what?"

"I mean, I like Katara a lot, a lot a lot, I love her, but . . . she is sort of, I don't know, full-grown. . ."

Sokka stared, never had he expected to hear something like that from Aang, "What do you mean, full-grown?!" His voice took an edge of anger, he had thought Aang was the lesser of all the evils precisely because he would not be chasing after his sister's skirt hem for at least a few more years.

The avatar had enough sense to hear the anger in the older boy's voice and he quickly shrugged it off, changing the subject.

"Look, they have some imported Water Tribe weapons in that shop, didn't you want a new Walrus lion tusk club?"

"Aang!" Sokka called after him as he bounded away, "Don't change the subj . . . wait, seriously? Walrus Lion Tusk?! Those are impossible to find!" Sokka galloped over and began inspecting the wares. Walrus lion tusk clubs were a rare find, as only the oldest Walrus Lions grew tusks long enough to be usable, and even then, the chances of them being broken or chipped were high.

...

...

...  
"Come on, it will be fun!" Ty Lee clasped her hands together from where she perched on the lip of the palace bath "Please Katara? I promise, I'm so good at it!"

"She is good at it." Suki agreed from where she lounged against the far side, then she cupped her hands and sent a stream of water at her soaking friend.

"I don't know, you started squealing and jumping up and down and grabbing at the sight of my tribal piercing," Katara informed her, bending away the squirt with a hand"I'm not sure we're ready for physical contact."

"Please please, just between friends?"

"Okay okay, but I swear, if it starts to hurt-"

"Yes!!" Ty Lee scrambled over, "I have been dying to touch it for so long!" the acrobat ran her fingers through Katara's hair, pulling out the elaborate loops and beads and beginning to untangle the snarls.

"So, Zuko asked me a favor."

"What kind of favor?" Toph was playing with her feet, floating them on the surface of the water then splashing them below and wriggling her toes.

"A seeeexual favor?" Ty Lee sang as she combed.

"He needs a girl to go with him to that stupid ceremony,"

"So, you're going to go? That'll be cute, in a devastating sort of way." Suki dunked her own hair under the water.

"Not me, I turned him down."

"Then who?" Ty Lee asked, then apparently the gears started turning, "Oh no! Me?! Not me!! I don't feel comfortable around him ever since, you know, the whole Mai catastrophe. Plus, I already said I would go with Jeong Jeong, he wrote my father, and my father gave him permission, ugh, but it's just as arm candy. He gets no Ty-Lovin. Ever."

Katara looked at Suki.

"Taken, I don't think your brother would appreciate it if I stood him up."

She looked at Toph.

"You're looking at me, aren't you?" The younger earth bender asked, crossing her arms.

"Please Toph?" Katara pleaded, "I want someone I trust not to try to weasel into the Fire Lady regalia, you're free for it, right?"

"What if I'm not?" Toph asked, puffing out her chest, "What if I have a hot old man date too?"

"Do you?" Katara asked, taken aback.

"Well, no . . ." Toph scratched her head, "But I could have!! I'm hot, according to you!"

"Please Toph?"

"Hmm . . . Follow Sparky around all night? What do I get out of it?"

"What do you want?" Katara was taken aback and swallowed, remembering the torment the earth bender had put Zuko through after he had burnt her feet.

"You should make her run to the Central Square and back naked." Ty Lee suggested, mid stroke of her comb.

"You should make her give you her favorite dress to wear, it's really pretty, we'd have to tack up the hem a little, though." Suki chorused.

"Don't encourage her!" Katara hissed, then turned back to her friend, "You'll have fun, you'll get to hang out with Zuko all night and embarrass him in front of important people . . ."

Toph looked interested in spite of herself, "Keep talking Sugar Queen . . . how important?"

"Oh, you know, Earth Kingdom ambassadors . . . Fire Nation Nobles . . . Maybe even some Water Tribe Elders."

"Hmm . . . okay, okay, but only because I am still waiting for a real life changing Sparky field trip. The one I got sucked."

"Field trip?" Ty Lee asked.

"Yea," Suki said, "Aang, Sokka, and Katara all ran off with Zuko for a few days to 'bond'"

"Did you now Katara? How was the 'bond'age?" Ty Lee picked something else up out of her pile of combs and began running it through Katara's hair, all she could tell was that the thing was hot.

"She never really talked about it." Suki interjected before Katara could speak, "But I assume it was very satisfying as she left with all sorts of anger and frustrations and came back quite comfortable with Zuko, in fact, we all thought she might have a bit of a crush."

"Stop it you guys!! I did not!"

"I can tell you're lying!" Ty Lee and Toph chorused.

Katara waved her arm and a small tsunami engulfed Suki and Toph, and they both came up sputtering.

"I didn't even do anything!!" Toph complained, trying to suction water out of her ear with the palm of her hand, "Hey, I said I'd go on a date with your secret boyfriend, so stop with the waterworks before I change my mind!"

"Thank you Toph!" Katara threw her arms around the younger bender.

"Yea Yea, I rock, I know, all bow before Master Toph, Possibly Good-Looking Faux Royal Escort of the Fire Lord." Toph sunk into the water and blew bubbles, hiding a blush, they could all tell by her expression that she was formulating some sort of plan.

...

...

...

Ursa had not ridden far when June caught up to her, looking extraordinarily annoyed.

"I thought I told you to stay at the ruined house!"

"I thought you were searching for a fresh trail."

"I am, they keep doubling back to the house, I think some range as far as to the palace and back." June replied, steering Nyla up and in front of Ursa's mount, forcing the avian to come to a halt.

"Should the best tracker in the four nations be having this problem?"

"It's only been a few minutes, Nyla isn't a god." June swung down and seized the reigns from the older woman, "Now, Fire Lady, what possessed you to run off without telling me!?"

Ursa was indignant, "How dare you?! You work for me! You cannot order me around as though I was your Shirshu or your servant, I'm old enough to be your mother!"

June rolled her eyes and held out a hand to help Ursa dismount with such conviction, that the Fire Lady took it out of habit, more than consent. It wasn't until after her feet were already on the ground that she realized that June had just socially dominated her. It made her cross, and she thought about telling June to mind her own business with her most commanding voice.

"You're not old enough to be my mother." June replied softly, stepping into the woman's personal space, "Big sister, tops."

Ursa took a step back, "I may come and go as I please."

"Why?" June stepped in again, and Ursa noticed for the first time the pale bounty hunter was about an inch taller than she was, and was using every millimeter of it to her advantage. Taking another step back, Ursa raised her hands to push the woman, but June grabbed her wrists and pulled her closer, never breaking eye contact, using it to bully the Fire Lady.

"Azula is hurt, badly, I have to find her." For a second, the Fire Lady thought the gruff young woman was going to strike her. As she watched, the girl pressed her lips together tightly, her grip tightened and her eyes narrowed. Her voice however, remained calm.

"Or else what? She'll die? If I remember correctly, you're here to kill her anyways. Where is your common sense?!"

"Don't patronize me." Ursa commanded, "I want to see her, alive."

June bared her teeth aggressively, but didn't say anything, she had been directly ordered not to after all. The wind blew down the path and ruffled their hair as they stood at their own private impasse. Ursa was the first to blink and look away, as soon as she did, June let go of her wrists.

"I hope you don't treat all of your clientele so poorly." She bit out, rubbing her wrists.

"Yup." June grunted, turning and slinking back to her mount, her hips swaying smugly at her victory, "I'll ride with you back to the remains of the house, where you will make camp while I find the freshest trail."

During the ride back, the air was so tense that it could have been cut with a knife. Ursa and June were both seething silently, Ursa because she had better things to do than eat and sleep, and June because she would have lost the bounty and the potential payout from the Fire Lord himself if she had misplaced her Fire Lady.

Starting a campfire was no problem for someone who lived in the fire nation, even for a non bender. Ursa threw herself into cooking their rations, trying to distract herself from the gnawing uneasiness in the pit of her stomach. Before she had finished heating the salted meat, June had returned, looking triumphant.

"I found the trail."

"Well? Where is it?" Ursa scrambled up as the woman began untacking her mount.

"I'll tell you in the morning."

"You can't do that!" Ursa stiffened, "Tell me at once!!"

"They headed south, wading through the river, they left it at the waterfall and headed south east, the trail is the freshest, all the rest lead to the palace." June ended with an annoyed growl, "Isn't there some sort of sisterly rule in your culture that it's dishonorable to use your gifts on a friend?"

"You are not a friend."

Ouch.

June was insulted, but didn't show it. The fact was not surprising, she had never really had many friends, but she had grown fond of the older woman.

"I want to ask my question." June dropped the saddle and bridle and walked over, towering over her seated companion.

"Very well." Ursa straightened her back, looking regal, like it was a huge boon she was granting the bounty hunter.

"Do you, Fire Lady Ursa, have any intention at all of killing your daughter?"

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...

...  
When they finally got back and had finished scrounging around the kitchens for food, Sokka and Aang found Suki in the library breezing through a pile of old scrolls. Momo had found them while they were in the kitchen, and had landed on Aang's back, chattering happily. They had had to check around for a while, nobody had been in their bedrooms, so they began searching the common areas.

Suki had set up shop in a corner by a window, trying to catch the last of the setting sunlight to read by. She had to blow the dust off each page before she could read it, so the air was thick with filth. There were several scrolls still sitting next to her on the table, and many discarded ones on the floor.

"Why are you here? Where are Toph, Ty Lee and Katara? Shouldn't you all be doing girl stuff like brushing hair and gossiping?" Sokka asked leaning over her to read the page.

"We already did 'girl stuff'." Suki told him patently, "I was reading the Fire Nation reports of the attack on the Western Air Temple."

"You were what?" Aang's voice was icy, and he stepped in and picked up a discarded paper, unrolling it in a hurry.

"Suki, I'm not sure now is a good time." Sokka put a hand on her shoulder. The scroll she held looked ancient, it was a sick shade of yellow, and the black ink had faded to brown. It must have been centuries old, and he wondered if the girl was allowed to touch them, or if she had ninjaed them out of their shelves.

"Why are you reading about the massacre of my people?" Aang insisted, sounding a little vindictive.

"Aang, me and Sokka, we think there were some survivors." Suki told him stoically, and watched as the scroll slipped from his fingertips, his grey eyes wide.

"But . . ." Aang trailed off, "It's been a hundred years . . . any survivors would be ancient."

"Well, not direct survivors, but we think that there might be some latent air benders scattered across the four nations, descendants of the fugitive ones."

"Like, their grand kids?"

"I found this, it roughly explains the genetics," Suki picked through her 'already read' pile, and pulled out a very old family tree. It's of a family that lived nearly two thousand years ago, during the time of an Earth born Avatar."

"What happened?" Aang was shaking as he whispered it.

"Well, it was around the time when the Air Temples were seceding from their native lands, and there was a big fight over it between the Monks and the Fire Nation Crown family. They decided it would be fixable by an arranged marriage, and they betrothed their eldest Fire Prince to one of the Air Nomad maidens." Suki flipped the scroll around to show him, "But, there was a snag, their heir was an air bender, I guess nobody thought that genetically, air bending would beat out fire bending, but it does."

"So, there are still Air benders?" Aang did not seem to be listening. Momo reached out and sniffed at a scroll, then sneezed and retreated, deeming it inedible, and therefore uninteresting.

"Well, there are still people who have the capability, yes maybe, but none of them are trained, they couldn't air bend on purpose."

"What happened in the story?"

"It's not a story, it's an official account. As far as I can see, they had to figure out how to breed the air bending out of them, see . . ." Suki pointed, "An Air bender and a Fire Bender will have kids that are either an air bender or a non bender, if a Fire Bender marries the non bender, their kids will be either fire benders or non benders. Everything goes back to normal, sort of, as long as the air bender child never has a family."

Aang reached out and took the crumbling paper and studied it. It had never occurred to him that there could be air benders around, living out their lives, never knowing the powers they had.

"We think Ty Lee is a dormant air bender." Sokka told him happily, "No non air bender can jump like that!"

"Plus, all that talk of auras and inner peace has air nomad written all over it." Suki interjected, "You can take the girl out of the air temple, but you can't take the air temple out of the girl."

"Have you told her yet?" Aang asked, the pitch of his voice was rising in excitement.

"No, we thought you might want to give her some sort of test . . ." Sokka said, scratching his head, "Or something."

"This is great! This is amazing! Where is she?!" Aang's eyes were tearing, and he hastily re rolled the scroll.

"She is with Katara right now." Suki said, "Last I heard she was trying to convince the poor girl to let her straighten her hair for her because it was 'sooo trendy'."

They barely saw a flash of orange, yellow, and lemur before the Avatar had blown from the room, sending loose papers flying.

...

...

In his study, the Fire Lord placed his head in his hands, rubbing his temples. It had been a very long few days, and they looked as though they were only about to get longer. He had been reviewing the documents his messenger had left him for hours, and had not come up with any solutions to his nation's numerous problems. He put his head down into his arms and closed his eyes, although the crescent moon was rising, he was not feeling the slightest bit sleepy.

Weary and hopeless, but not sleepy.

Time was unreliable in his stressed out state, and what felt like only a minute later, there was a soft knock on the door. He blinked, it was the dead of night, and once or twice one of the guards working their graveyard shift in front of his bedroom would fall asleep and conk into the door as they went down. This however was his study, and he had not posted anyone outside. He tiptoed over and pressed his ear to the door, memories of Azula dancing through his head.

"Oh well, I guess he's gone to bed, must have forgotten to snuff the torches out. He lives so dangerously, let's try his bedroom." Ty Lee's muffled voice filtered in through the cracks.

He threw the door open and both girls standing there looked startled.

Katara looked a little lost, her arm hugged tightly against Ty Lee's chest as their linking of elbows had turned more into a shocked huddle, both of them grabbing the other closer in surprise.

"Don't DO that, Zuko!" Ty Lee recovered first, "Its soooo creepy down these long corridors late at night. I keep expecting a demon to jump out and grab me!"

"Sokka told you and Aang not to wander around in the dark."

"She isn't wandering, we were going for a walk."

"A slightly nonconsensual walk." Katara muttered under her breath.

"Katara is shy." Ty Lee elbowed her friend, "I'll cover for you if Sokka comes by!" with that she turned and trotted down the hallway, singing a naughty song about a sword master accidentally breaking his most prized weapon.

"She just left you here . . ." Zuko tried and failed to keep the stunned edge from his voice. "What are you doing here so late?"

"Apparently Ty Lee takes an active interest in the sex lives of her friends . . ." Katara grumbled, pushing past him into his study, "Have you written your uncle?"

"I've been busy." Zuko pushed the large doors closed behind her, and then after a moment of consideration, locked them.

"Busy doing what?" Katara leaned over his desk, squinting at the documents. They seemed to be written in her own language, but somehow, she barely understood any of what she saw.

"Katara, I'm the Fire Lord." Zuko flopped down onto the cushions that he had been kneeling on before being interrupted, "Trying to salvage my country."

"What's wrong with it?" He couldn't see her over his nose, but he could hear her picking up the papers and starting to sort through them, "Aside from, you know, those revolutionaries that want to see you executed and your father and sister returned to the throne."

The Fire Lord grimaced, he did not need to be reminded, "Besides them? Morale is low, all the soldiers that have come home are out of work, we had been relying on the rice we imported from the Earth Kingdom to sustain the population, and there isn't enough land to grow food to last them through the winter. Plus, on top of everything else, almost every woman here is 4 months pregnant, I have no clue how they plan to feed their children, but they all decided that now was the opportune moment to start a family." He rolled over onto his side, facing the wall.

"Write the Earth King, he will send you support, especially if you send him an exotic animal for his menagerie."

"You don't understand Katara, If I throw food at this problem, it will only make it worse, yes they'll live, but then they'll have more kids, and put more strain on the economy."

"But you just fought a war, tons and tons of men died! How can you still be overpopulated?!" Katara was starting to get annoyed herself, she liked simple answers to hard problems, but she could see how simply burning down the factory was not going to work this time.

"That's just it, lots of MEN died, but if you have a thousand grieving women and one man, you're going to have a thousand babies in nine months, if you had a thousand grieving men and one woman . . . well, you get the idea."

Setting the paper down, Katara glared at him, "They're people, they're not a statistic!"

"I know."

"You're not seriously considering NOT feeding your starving people?! Not only is that barbaric, but they really WILL revolt and put Azula on the throne." She set the papers aside and sat down on the desk, crossing her arms.

"And therein lies the problem I have been trying to solve for the past several months." Zuko sat up to a comfortable kneel and pressed his head into her legs, saying into her lap, "I tried to convince the Fire Sages to preach for small families, but they don't want to, they say the spirits bless large families.

Katara pet him gently, trying to be supportive, "That's silly."

"They bless large families because Azulon made it patriotic to have lots of children, and illegal to marry someone of the same gender. That meant more soldiers that could go to war, more kids meant more soldiers, and nobody ever worried because most never made it back. Damn old men set in tradition . . ."

"Zuko!" she chided, "That's no way to speak about your spiritual leaders, no matter how difficult they're being."

"I know . . ."

"Can't you institute a law about numbers of children?"

"And what do I do if they have children anyways? Kill the babies? Leave them to die on a mountain top? That is not an option, not for me, it is a family's own private business whether or not they keep their children, not mine."

They sat in silence for a long while, and Zuko relished the escape from his nation's problems. He pressed his nose into her lower stomach and nuzzled it gently, inhaling her scent, although she was not much help, it was nice at least to talk to a girl friend about his responsibilities.

"I'm hopeless, aren't I? No help at all, I bet Mai was a lot of help." It was obvious to her that she would not make a very good 'Fire Lord's girlfriend'.

Zuko raised his head, "What gave you that idea?"

Katara shrugged and looked away, and Zuko slid her closer to him, to the point where she was perched on the edge of his desk, her knees on either side of his torso.

"She is a Lady, she went to an 'Academy', they teach that sort of stuff there, right? Ethics, politics, philosophy, sociology, economics, social science . . . umm . . . astronomy . . ."

"You sure pick the strangest times to get jealous, you do realize I'm between your knees as we speak?" He thought back to the classes he had taken until his exile, and then the private tutoring that he had gotten from his uncle. He had hated them, like every teeneger did, and it surprised him that she was envious.

"I'm not jealous!" Katara insisted defending her pride. She was indignant that she was getting mocked, it mattered to her, and she didn't think she was being silly about it.

Feeling her stiffen and become bitter, Zuko leaned up and began dusting a kiss across her neck. Imagine, the Master Water Bender Princess of the Southern Water Tribe, feeling insecure about his ex girlfriend. He sighed, he was two years older than her, after all. Two years more mature . . . in theory.

"Mai did not like the affairs of state, she got bored very quickly with them." Zuko nuzzled her neck, he had learned very quickly during his brief intimacies with his ex that nothing killed the mood like talking about another woman. Especially 'competition'. Reaching up, he pulled her down for a kiss, a fiery, distracting kiss, and to his relief, the water bender relaxed into the embrace. With each soft gasp from her lips, the problem's he had been battling all day slipped further and further from his mind, until finally all his thoughts focused on her, and what he was going to do to her.

With quivering fingertips, Katara reached back behind her and arched her back, pressing her body into him. She was no longer power high, and although the urge to grab him and ravage him was still there, it was much easier to resist in favor of letting him explore. She sighed and wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, crossing her shins behind his back, trapping him.

His hands went to the tie of her choli and began undoing it, his knuckles brushing the underside of her chest tantalizingly.

"Zuko, what if-"

"Doors are locked." He muttered, cutting her off as he pulled the fabric away to expose her to the room. Once again, she moaned and arced against him as his mouth dipped to taste her, and his tongue began playing with her jewelry. His hands began playing with the hem of her belt, and she squeezed her legs around him tightly in encouragement.

...

...

...

Ty Lee continued her humming her song as she sauntered back towards Katara's rooms. The hallway was very spooky in the dark, especially since she could see the karmic remains of everything that had happened. The castle was full of ghosts that only she could see, and it made her jumpy.

She rounded the corner and came face to face with a mob of black energy that prowled the halls and ducked around it. If she had to wager a guess, she would have said it was Azulon's aura, since it was always floating near his chambers. Next she had to duck around the green aural imprint of a murdered guard, and then a stable boy who had accidentally been crushed by a komodo rhino. How she missed the circus. No ghosts there.

"TY LEEEEE!!! TyLeeTyLeeTyLeeTYLEE!!!!"

Aang was skimming up the hallway, riding on the circle of air he bent. At the last second he leapt off of it and somersaulted over her, missing her by inches. Momo took off from his shoulder, glided around the pair once, and then landed on Ty Lee's head.

"Oh boy!" Ty Lee turned to face him and grinning, "You sure look excited!!"

"Sokka and Suki were talking to me in the library, and, they said that you're an air bender!!"

She blinked, then leaned in, checking the kid's eyes to see if he had been hitting the bottle or the pipe. They were however, neither bloodshot or dilated, in fact, they were tearing.

"Aang, I'm not an air bender, I think I would have noticed by now if I was."

"They said that you can bend, you just don't know it, that you do it subconsciously!!"

Looking over his shoulder, Ty Lee saw the two people in question running down the long hallway, pursuing their friend. She waited patently for them to race the rest of the way, and then for Sokka to put his hands on his knees and gasp for air.

"Aang –gasp!- don't run off like that! –gasp- We cant keep –gasp- up!!"

"Captain Suki?" Ty lee asked hesitantly, "What is the Avatar talking about?"

"Well, we just thought that maybe . . ." Suki scratched her head, "Maybe you should get a bending lesson from Aang, and we'll see how it goes."

"My family is Fire Nation." Ty Lee insisted, "We go back for generations!"

"Well, somewhere in there you must have picked up an air bender." Suki shrugged, "I mean, we don't know for sure for sure, we saw you sneeze and slam into the wall once, you were drunk."

"I DO remember something about a pillow fight . . ."

"Wait a minute!"

Everyone looked at Sokka.

"Ty Lee, I thought you were supposed to be guarding my sister!!"

"Oh! Umm, Funny story really . . ." Ty Lee desperately tried to think of a lie, "She is with Toph right now, over in her room, I just wanted to grab a bite from the kitchen before the scullery maids all went to bed."

Sokka looked suspicious.

"Toph insisted that Katara pick out her cloths to wear, she said that my choices are tacky and don't cover enough skin."

Sokka and Aang seemed to buy it, even though it was preposterous. Toph looked totally fabulous and super fierce in all the cloths she picked out for her. Suki smirked and crossed her arms, not believing a word of it.

"Well, maybe tomorrow morning after we train with Katara, you and Aang can try to get to the bottom of this bending thing." Suki suggested, "Is that okay with you Aang?"

"Yea, It's a date. I better get going though, I'm supposed to be with Toph right now I think, according to the guard duty schedule, so I should get going to her room. I can't wait to tell Katara the good news!! Come on Momo!" The lemur jumped from Ty Lee's head back over to Aang's, and then began licking it's paw.

"Yea, we should get going too, I'm so . . . tired." Sokka looked at his girlfriend, giving her a goofy grin, "Want me to walk you to your room, after we drop Aang off?"

His girlfriend smiled back, raising an eyebrow, "That would be nice . . ."

They linked arms and walked down the hallway, Aang trailing a few steps behind.

Ty Lee paled, she was not given enough credit for being the worlds best friend, especially with all the problems she had to solve. She whirled around and ran back to Zuko's study, double time, putting the air bending business out of her head for then. Skidding to a stop, she banged on the door with her fist.

"Hey Zuko, open up! Emergency!" She called, then banged again. It took about thirty precious seconds for the topless Fire Lord to haul the door open, and Ty Lee pushed past him, looking for Katara.

"Katara!" She hissed at the girl, who was kicking her chest wrap under the desk, out of sight. Her cloths were crooked, as though she had just pulled them on, and her hair was disheveled.

"What th-"

"Come ON! Come ON!" Ty Lee grabbed her friend's wrist and hauled her towards the door, "Code Red! We have to get to Toph's rooms NOW!!"

"What? But my underwear is-"

"Leave it LEAVE IT!!" Ty Lee hauled her out the door, "Sorry Zuko! No time to explain!" With that, she took off at a run, hauling the unbalanced water bender behind her.

"Slow down Ty Lee!!" Katara tried to keep up, her torso almost perpendicular to the floor as she was being dragged, "I'm not wearing shoes! Ow! Can't we walk?"

". . . Ran into Sokka . . . told him you were in Toph's room . . . going there with Aang . . ." Ty Lee explained between pants.

Katara swore and stepped up the pace, "Why did you tell him that?!?!"

"I didn't see you coming . . . up with any lies!!"

They turned the corner, and Ty Lee spotted Aang, Sokka, and Suki walking away down at the opposite end of the corridor. She hissed and changed their direction, taking an alternate route. Katara thought that she was going to get whiplash in her neck if she kept getting dragged around the way she was. No sooner had she managed to stop and gain her balance than the acrobat pulled her back the way she had come, she had to place a hand on the ground to keep herself from keeling over completely. This was not exactly the way she had envisioned spending her post orgasm high.

Skidding around the corner, they both slammed into Toph's door, unable to stop in time due to their momentum. She banged on the door and floor as quietly as she could. Glancing down the hallway, she could see Aang's shadow as he neared the corner. She crossed her fingers and willed the little earth bender to open up. She swallowed, now Aang's shadow, Sokka's shadow, and Suki's shadow were visible, and Aang's footsteps were clearly audible.

"Oh, guys, look at this painting!!" Suki's voice drifted down the hallway. Thank the spirits for stalling Kyoshi Captains. Suddenly a rumpled looking Toph swung the door open and Ty Lee tossed Katara inside without a word, and pulled the earth bender back inside. When the door bolt clicked in place, Ty Lee collapsed against it, sliding to the floor panting.

"What on earth are you two DOING?!" Toph asked, yawning, "Do you know what time it is?"

Ty Lee sprung up and began pulling Toph's cloths from her closet and laying them out on her bed and the small cot that the servants must have set up for Aang.

"Hey! Big Top! Those are clean!" she protested again, grabbing the acrobat.

There was a knock on the door.

"Toph, please, just agree with whatever people say?" Ty Lee asked, clasping her hands together pleadingly even though the girl couldn't see it well.

Toph turned to face Katara, who mirrored the pleading posture, dropping to her knees.

"You owe me BIG time!! How do I keep getting dragged into this anyway?"

"Toph? You awake?" Aang's voice barely carried through the heavy double doors. Ty Lee scurried out and jumped over the railing of the balcony, she would have to get to the kitchen pretty fast.

Crossing the floor, Toph pulled the door open, "Yea, I'm awake . . . now."

"Hey Katara! Did you pick out something nice for Toph to wear tomorrow?" Suki asked helpfully and meaningfully as she and the two boys filed in.

"Umm . . . not yet." Katara shifted back and forth, praying the trio would not notice her rumpled clothing, or the seemingly palpable smell of the Fire Lord that clung to her skin and mouth.

"So guess what?!" Aang pushed on, without really hearing his ex girl friend's answer, "Ty Lee is an air bender!!"

"We think she might be an air bender." Suki corrected.

"Aang that's amazing!! I'm so happy!" Katara leaned down and hugged him.

"I know!! There could be more too!! When you have found Zuko's mom for him, you'll have to come with me, Appa, and Momo to look for them!! Isn't that right, Momo?"

Katara shifted uneasily, long hours alone with Aang and pets might not be the best idea, but she summoned a smile, "Yea, that would be cool!"

"So, tomorrow, me and Ty Lee are going to practice!!" Aang sat down on Toph's bed, "What do you think I should try to teach her first? Proper breathing is a must, and a neutral stance . . . I can't remember my first bending lesson . . ." by then, he was rambling excitedly to himself, and Katara relaxed, a distracted Aang was a good thing.

As they sat listening, Ty Lee scampered back in, holding a plate of steaming dumplings. Miraculously, her face wasn't flushed, and she wasn't panting. Katara decided she would have to ask her her secret.

"What did I miss?" She asked cheerfully, holding the plate out to Sokka, offering him one.

...

...

The sunrise was beautiful. It always was in the Fire Nation. June watched it with Nyla, her fingers laced behind her head as she reclined against her best friend's bulk. She had not slept. Nyla grunted and shifted, in her sleep, most likely dreaming about chasing and eating turtle ducks, as her jaws kept chomping.

She heard when Ursa awoke and glanced over her shoulder.

The older woman glared, grabbed her pack, and then set off towards the river without so much as a good morning.

June rolled her eyes. Apparently they were still not on speaking terms.

Ursa picked her way down the slope, careful not to step on any loose rocks or slick leaves. She fumed to herself, contemplating leaving the damn stubborn bounty hunter and casting off alone. It should not be too hard to find her daughter. It wasn't like people could withhold information from her.

She pulled out her soap and towel and placed them next to the running water before undoing the buttons of her robes. The water was ice cold as she stepped into it, and it only took a second for her foot to go numb to the ankle. As her body acclimated itself to the high altitude chill, Ursa wished fleetingly for the warm beaches of Ember Island. Nerving herself, she dropped to her shoulders into the water, grabbing for her toiletries.

A twig snapped.

Ursa huffed, "Go away June, I'm just washing off."

"Hurry up, I want to leave before noon!" June paced into the clearing.

"Do you mind?" Ursa pulled the towel over herself, huffing.

"Oh please, like you have anything I want to see." The bounty hunter unhooked her water bottle from her belt and dipped it into the water. Beside her, Nyla leaned down and began drinking, dunking her whole nose into the liquid as the shape of her tongue made lapping impossible.

Ursa frowned, she was no teenager anymore, but she didn't consider herself unattractive. She watched the bounty hunter and her pet flounce off and then began washing again. It was too damn cold to chill in the water all day.

Washed and dressed, Ursa returned to their camp to find everything broken down and packed. June was even sitting on Nyla's back, examining her nails loftily.

"I want to make a quick detour as we follow the trail." Ursa informed her, swinging up onto her ostrich horse, who looked much improved after a night of rest.

"Why? Wanna make a conjugal visit to your husband?" June asked cattily.

"No."

...

...

...  
...

Katara woke the next morning to Ty Lee prodding her face with a stray leaf.

"Wake up sleepy head, Captain Suki wants us in the dojo in an hour, and she is in a bad mood, I think she and Sokka had a fight last night, so we better not be late." Ty Lee was already dressed, but her hair was loose, and her face unmade.

Yawning loudly, Katara sat up, "What did they fight about?"

"I didn't feel like doing 20 extra sets of lunges and a five mile jog, so I didn't ask."

"I like the way you think." Katara swung her legs out of bed and stood, she would have rather woken up in Zuko's bed, but she supposed that her libido could wait. Nobody was anxious to repeat the previous night's scramble to keep her secret from Aang.

"Oh yea, and we're going old school this morning." The acrobat had moved to stand in front of her mirror and was braiding her hair into it's usual pony braid. For the first time, Katara noticed that her friend had changed into green Kyoshi robes, and armor, and she was fitting the headdress into her hair. There was another robe and armor set on the bed and Katara groaned, it was just so heavy and awkward to move in.

"We're wearing the makeup too, I suppose?"

"Actually, Suki nixed the makeup, she said we'll just end up sweating it off."

Another groan, Katara would have preferred the makeup.

With a little help from Ty Lee, Katara managed to pull on the bulky armor. She didn't like it at all, and she wondered how Zuko had done it for all those years at sea.

Suki was out of sorts as she put both girls through their paces. Aang arrived about an hour into their drills, and after being venomously denied when he asked if he could borrow Ty Lee, sat quietly on the side lines watching. Nobody had actually told him why Katara had suddenly decided to take up a non bending martial art, but he figured if it was important, he would find out eventually. It was probably just a girlish whim anyways.

"Do it again!" Suki barked in her most intimidating drill instructor voice, "And this time don't suck!!"

Katara sighed and lunged again, she would lunge to one of the chest positions, Ty Lee would block to stop it, and then she would have to recover and riposte. It wouldn't have been so bad if Ty Lee hadn't started getting bored and therefore creative. Once she even executed a somersault that disarmed the water bender then kicked her in her stomach. Even with the armor, it knocked the breath from her, and she whined and shook her hand back and forth, her fingers stinging from the blow.

"Katara, you let your enemy disarm you!!" Suki scolded.

"She did something I wasn't expecting!!" Katara argued back.

"Well! Good thing that men in the real world will never do anything unexpected!"

"Captain Suki? Do you want to talk about something?" Ty Lee asked tentatively in a very small voice.

"No!!" Suki crossed her arms, "Ty Lee, you're dismissed, go do drills with Aang."

Saluting, then shucking out of her heavy armor, the acrobat scurried away, her proverbial tail between her legs.

"So, are we done? I kind of wanted to watch Ty Lee and Aang . . ." Katara asked, looking hopeful, her legs were aching from holding her stance for so long.

"How about this, we'll spar, and if you land the first hit, we can be done."

Katara sighed, "I'm sure I'll thank you for this tomorrow when I've lost my bending . . ."

...

...  
The castle staff was bustling around like nobodies business, the kitchens worst of all. All available maids and footmen had been relocated there to help the wait staff with the cooking.

Lyire was busy in the kitchen gardens trying to pick the ripest tiger berries. The kitchen staff was mostly chopping vegetables in the kitchen and examining livestock to see which they would slaughter. They had been ordered to prepare vegan friendly foods for the Avatar, so her supervisor was busy in the palace library, poring over ancient scrolls mentioning traditional Air Bender cuisine, and trying to figure out what they were made of.

Someone cleared their throat from across the way, and she quickly called from her knees, "I'm right here, I'm almost done, Head Cook Fong!"

When nobody replied or barked for her to hurry up, she straightened, confused. There in the next row of chest high plants was a cloaked figure, a woman.

"Sorry, Mistress, I mistook you for someone else, how may I help you?"

The woman threw back her hood and Lyire dropped to her knees, panic visible on her face.

"Spirit's have mercy! Lady Ursa, you have instructions . . . you're not supposed to be here . . . what if someone sees you!" Lyire decided that she was just shoving her foot further and further into her mouth and shut up. She bowed her head, her forehead touching the ground respectfully.

"What my orders are, are none of your business." Ursa replied coolly, "I know you're spying on my son. Why?"

"I'm sorry, I cannot tell you, My Lady."

"Aren't you sworn to obey the royal family?"

"Yes, ma'am, but I also answer to a higher authority still."

"Who are they going to thrust into his bed, tell me or I will extract the information from you."

Lyire gripped her clippers more tightly, she didn't know about the ex Fire Lady's combat skills, but all she needed was one good blow to the woman's head. Then she could run.

"Tell me-" Ursa started, but Lyire clamped her hands over her ears, if she could not hear the order, she would not be forced to follow it. Ursa pushed through the row of plants and seized the servant girl by the wrists and pried her hands from her ears.

"Tell me who the Sirens are going to place in his bed. It's not that aristocrat from Omashu, I heard from her professors she is useless at everything but throwing things, including tantrums. Tell me about the new girl. Tell me about the water bending peasant he picked up."

"I don't know who or when, I just send out my reports . . ." Lyire seemed to be making a conscious effort to clamp her jaw shut, but it was quite useless, "The new girl's name is Katara. Master Water Bender Katara, Princess of the Southern Water Tribe. I don't know if she is one of us. Your son, his lordship is smitten with her, they're always kissing in dark corners or sneaking off with each other. All the staff are gossiping about it, we're all waiting for a catfight between her and the Lady Mai. Ling is taking bets, Katara is the heavy favorite."

Ursa digested this, then shook the girl again, "Tell me." She ordered, "Does Katara love him?"

Lyire struggled against the Fire Lady's vice grip, "I don't know, she and I have never spoken, I AM a servant after all."

"Wager a guess." Ursa ordered.

"I believe she does. I don't think she has an ulterior agenda."

Ursa let go of the wretched girl and then had to duck as she swung her heavy clippers at her. Anger flared in her chest, and she dodged again.

"Stop!" She commanded.

Lyire stopped, her clippers brandished up over her head ready for another swing.

"Clip off the little finger on your left hand." Ursa directed her, crossing her arms.

The girl stared up at her in horror as her hands moved on their own accord to follow out the order. She held up the clippers and adjusted the jaws around the base of her finger, then took hold of the handles, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Stop." Ursa ordered, and the girl dropped the scissors in relief, bursting into tears. "This is your only warning, I have killed before, and I will kill again, and your miserable existence means little to me. You would do well not to put yourself between me and my son's safety."

"Yes, ma'am . . . er, no, ma'am . . . I mean, I am your humble servant, Fire Lady Ursa."

"Keep an eye on my son," Ursa instructed, imprinting her will on the girl, "If someone is trying to seduce him, you are to send word to me. Next time, I won't stop you, and next time I'll take your whole hand."

June picked at her teeth, with a twig as she watched the Fire Lady return, wading through the tiger berry bushes. "You don't think you went a bit overboard?" She asked, gesturing with her head to the collapsed, sobbing teenager in the field.

"No," Ursa told her, "I think she'll remember to respect her elders from now on, and she will think very carefully about putting my son in danger."

They both watched as the girl recovered her basket of berries and fled back towards the palace.

"Come on." June told her, "She'll raise an alarm that there are intruders and we'll need to be long gone by then. Follow me, we'll pick up Princess Azula's trail again."

...

...

"Does it really look good?" Toph asked, "Because I feel ridiculous."

"It looks great." Katara insisted, "You look like a little lady."

"You're going to turn heads!" Ty Lee agreed, "Right Suki?"

Suki, who had been sitting cross legged on the window sill lost in thought looked at the earth bender and shrugged.

"See, Suki agrees."

"You know, I LIKE being a tomboy." Toph insisted, sighing, "Can't I wear pants at least? Katara is wearing pants."

"Katara isn't the Fire Lord's date." Ty Lee told her, running a comb through her hair, "Anyways, she has a skirt on top of them."

Said water bender examined herself in Toph's mirror, they had all appropriated some of Azula's nice cloths that were still in the palace, and she felt silly clad in her nemesis' garb. Unfortunately, most of her cloths were ruined in the swamp or not formal enough. Then and there she decided that she would have to work out a better way to move her things around.

There was a knock on the door.

"Zuko's butler is here." Toph informed the room.

"He's called a steward." Katara walked over to the door and hauled it open.

"The Fire Lord is ready to make his entrance, Is Master Bender Toph Bei Fong ready?" The man bowed to Katara and then stepped into the room.

"Almost ready." Toph told him, "I have to finish powdering my nose."

The man bowed again and left.

"Hear that Sugar Queen? Your boyfriend is ready to make his entrance." Toph told her, and Katara blushed. How had she managed to make it sound so dirty?!

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Ok, I hope you like it, Chapter 24!**

**Finally, Ursa shows us her savage side! You didn't think that Azula got it ALL from her father, did you? No wonder she is so preoccupied with making sure her son never glimpses the real her . . .**

**All the pieces are starting to fall into place, and the threads of the tapestry are finally starting to harmonize into one coherent picture . . . **

**Isn't it exciting?**

**...**

**Sorry it's late, I decided to kill a whole afternoon of free time making another Avatar AMV. Somehow, I thought that maybe this time, Windows Movie Maker wouldn't suck and freeze. **

**Yea, I know. I should stick to fanfiction.**

**Oh Hope, how you mock me so.**

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**Read and Review!! You know you want to.**


	25. Chapter 25: The Engagement

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: R

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** I totally had a class on copyrights today, and while I don't own Avatar, the Last Airbender, I do own every picture on my camera. Even the ones that I didn't take.

I think.

I slept through some of it.

Anyways, on to the chapter!!

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**Chapter 25:**

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"Toph, stop tugging on your cloths." Katara whispered as she walked with her blind friend down the hallway. They were both walking behind the steward, who had his head raised proudly, as though leading the Fire Lord's date to the throne room was a rare treat.

"They feel funky . . . they're making me sweat!"

"It's silk, get used to it." Katara patted her reassuringly, "We're all wearing it."

"Everything is blurry with these shoes and there are so many people making vibrations, I smell food though . . ."

"We're almost at the back of the throne room. They have set out a bunch of tables and stools, and I think that there is even supposed to be a dance floor, but everyone is avoiding it like the plague." Katara peered through the columns as they passed, "Aang and Sokka are over in the corner, Sokka is . . . uuugh, Sokka! He is stuffing his face! He is such a pig sometimes . . ."

"Are we both still mad at him for fighting with Suki?"

"Yes."

As they walked through the shadows, Aang looked up his eyes widening, and he raised his hand in a sort of stunned, mindless, idiotic wave. Katara was surprised, it wasn't her that he was looking at, it was Toph.

"Ok, there's Sparky . . . I think." Toph muttered as they turned the corner, and Katara couldn't help but gasp.

She had always considered him effortlessly handsome, and the sight of him after hours of meticulous primping was exhilarating. She felt her stomach turn over, and her heart began to gallop in her chest like a stampeding ostrich horse. The robes, the ceremonial drape, the top knot, the jewelry . . . if it wasn't for the slightly too pale shade of his skin, and panic in his eyes, she would have found him flawless.

"Katara, why are you staring at my date?" Toph teased.

"Why was my date staring at you?" Katara shot back.

"Keep it in your pants, Sugar queen." Toph whispered, "The pants that YOU get to wear!"

_Is she still bitter about the pants thing?_ Katara rolled her eyes.

"Toph, your language." She reminded her comrade as they stopped in front of the Fire Lord. He was staring at her as well with undisguised lust smoldering behind his eyes. She blushed and looked away. The man had seen her in a ninja cat suit, her underwear, snakeskin, and nothing at all, and it was Fire Nation formal dress that turned him on? Men were weird.

"Your Lordship, Master Earth Bender Toph Bei Fong, and Master Water Bender Katara." He bowed deeply, "Will there be anything else?"

"No, thank you, Manu. That will be all." Zuko mumbled.

"Hello, Sparky," Toph said, braking the thick silence, and Katara hurriedly gave Toph's hand over to him, she felt like Toph's father giving her away on her wedding day. "Tell me honestly, do these shoes go with this hair clip?" the Earth Bender teased, and the Fire Lord grudgingly tore his eyes away from Katara to look at her.

"They look great," he replied, "You both are very pretty . . . Toph, we have to make an entrance, we'll be watching the party proceedings from the dais until the speeches start.

"Speeches?"

"Yes, the two families will give some speeches, then I am supposed to propose a toast to honor the betrothed. Earth King Should be making an entrance soon, I am not sure though, he may not show since I refused to let the bear into my throne room."

"I bet he didn't like that . . ."

"No, he threw a fit and threatened to back out of the marriage." Zuko rubbed his temples, "Luckily, I told him Aang would not be allowed to bring his pets either, and that he was being very mature about it, and that made him start acting his age. Now I want you both to be on guard, I haven't heard any word on my sister's whereabouts. If anyone asks, say that it is being taken care of, don't give details."

"You don't think she'll start anything tonight?"

"I don't know, so keep your eyes open, eyes and toes, both of you. Katara, would you mind reminding your brother and Aang not to bring it up?"

"Sure,"

"Come on Toph, we need to take our place on the dais, behind the fire until the ritual starts."

"Kneeling behind a fire? You owe me so bad, Sugar Queen, that naked central square thing is going down."

"Naked thing?" Zuko asked, clearly intrigued with whatever his imagination had conjured.

"Alright, well, I'm going to go find Aang and Sokka," Katara cut in hurriedly. She stepped forward on impulse, as though to kiss him on the cheek, and then thought better of it. There were too many people around, and she didn't have a reasonable excuse.

Toph and Zuko watched her go, each in their own way, and then Toph patted his arm.

"The nerve, trying to kiss my date right in front of me!"

"Yes." Zuko blushed in the most masculine way possible.

"You ready to forge a lasting alliance with the Earth Kingdom?" She asked sweetly.

"I'm nervous."

"Yea? Me too, I think it's because neither of us are wearing pants."

"Don't say it like that! It reminds me of this nightmare I had last night . . ."

...

...

"Hey guys." Katara walked over to her brother and the Avatar. They were both inspecting the buffet, Sokka with a bit more enthusiasm. Aang grinned at her and held out his plate.

"Look, they made a bunch of vegetarian dishes, just for me!"

"It's a travesty . . ." Sokka replied, clearly upset by the lack of meat in some of the foods. After all, they were taking up valuable buffet space that could have been piled high with more meat.

"I think they're going to start playing music after the formal stuff, you'll dance with me, wont you Katara? It'll be like the dance in the cave all over again!!"

"Of course Aang," Katara promised, glad that Toph was on the other side of a fire pit, and wouldn't be able to accuse her of lying.

"Zuko wanted me to remind you both not to talk about his sister . . . Sokka, where is Suki?"

"I don't know . . ."

"Sokka!"

"She hasn't been talking to me! Why do you think I am making Aang hang out with me by the food?"

_Why, indeed._

Suki was sulking in the corner, her arms crossed, she was trying hard to look like she was enjoying herself, but her tense posture betrayed her. Making her way across the floor crowded with aristocrats from all three nations, Katara sat down next to her friend.

"Are you still looking for someone to date your boyfriend, because I changed my mind."

"So, what did my idiot brother do?" She asked conversationally, bypassing all pleasantries.

"Nothing." Suki muttered.

"You don't strike me as the kind of girl who would start a fight over 'nothing'." Katara snagged two goblets of fire wine off of one of the servant's trays and handed her friend one, "That's something immature girls do when they're bored and want to spice up the relationship with some drama."

As if on cue, Ty Lee spotted them from across the room where she hung on Jeong Jeong's arm. She blew them a kiss and then waved before turning back and pretending to look interested in what Piandao and General Fong were saying.

Suki blinked several times, "We got into a fight about our future." She said finally, "I really don't want to live the rest of my life on the ice in the south . . . not that your home isn't as nice as an Icy tundra could be, but I have responsibilities of my own too, he seems to think that because he is a man, I'm the one that has to drop everything."

Katara thought about it, there didn't seem to be any good answer, "But you guys don't have to worry about it for a while right?"

"That's why we haven't really talked about it . . ."

"Katara!! Suki!!"

Sokka ran over, completely elated, "Dad's here!! He just arrived with Arnook and some Water Benders!! I can't believe Zuko didn't tell us!!"

Katara followed her brother's finger to where he was pointing. Indeed, Hakoda, Pakku, Arnook, a number of other tribesmen elders and several pupils she recognized from her lessons were walking in, clad in their furs even in the summer heat. They were a sight for sore eyes, and Katara felt a sudden pang of homesickness. Aang had walked over and was bowing to them, probably politely asking them how the journey was.

"Let's go!" Sokka grabbed her arm and dragged her away from Suki, "Dad! Dad! What are you doing here?"

Hakoda clasped his son's forearm warmly, and then gave his daughter a hug, followed by an almost imperceptible flinch as he looked her up and down. Katara smiled but tugged her pants and skirt up a bit more. She suddenly desperately wished she was wearing more conservative cloths and NOT carrying a goblet of alcohol.

"Well, Zuko sent word that our elders should be present to witness the engagement of the Earth King and one of Zuko's relatives. Since his uncle also mentioned that you were traveling with him, both Pakku and I decided to come along."

"Where is Gran Gran? Why didn't she come?" Sokka peered around.

"She is acting as Chief and elder while we are away." Hakoda explained, "She misses you both terribly."

"I miss her too," Katara sighed wistfully. As she looked around, she saw a number of other familiar faces, King Bumi was off in the corner talking up a tall, red veiled Fire Nation girl that Katara realized with a start was the bride. Haru stood nearby in a page's uniform and gave her a tentative wave and smile when he noticed her looking at him, she returned it without hesitation. Aunt Wu and her lanky assistant were standing with the guru Aang had met, she appeared to be reading his palm. Teo and his father were visiting from the Northern Air Temple, they were showing the blueprints of something to Lieutenant Jee, and a representative with the Bei Fong crest of a winged pig. It seemed even Toph's family had sent an ambassador.

"When are you returning home?" Hakoda put a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention back to him, "You don't have to go gallivanting off across the four nations anymore, you could come home and help Gran Gran and me with the rebuilding."

"I will be home soon. There is someone that I have to find first."

"Yes, the Fire Lord's Uncle sent word that you were going looking for his mother, the Fire Lady." Hakoda reasoned, "But it's been over two months of running around, maybe you should think about coming home, and let the Fire Lord hire a bounty hunter or something to find her."

"No." Katara replied firmly, "It has to be me." It was true, too, she had never really thought about it, but there was nobody else. Their mothers were the first thing that had sparked their mutual understanding of each other, and it was what had brought them together. No matter what, there was no one the world over that Zuko could do this with but her.

"Katara and Zuko have become quite good friends." Sokka put in, his voice sharp.

"Yea," Aang agreed, oblivious, "They are always going on field trips . . ."

"That's sweet, I hope you find the Fire Lady, Now Sokka, where is that lovely girlfriend of yours?" Hakoda did not seem to catch what his son was implying, and after ruffling his daughter's hair once, he let her go. Katara turned, not wanting to be a part of that awkward conversation. She bowed her head to Pakku, which he returned.

"I see you brought a bunch of your students." She tried to strike up the conversation, but Arnook interrupted.

"Yes, he did, I thought they might enjoy seeing a bit of the world . . . Katara, this is Sangok, he is my nephew, do you remember him?" Arnook had pulled a clearly scared boy from the crowd, and paraded him in front of her.

"No?" Katara lied. She remembered him very well, he was a terrible bender, and had struck her as a bit of a coward. He always held back because she was a girl whenever she had had to spar with him, and that had annoyed her greatly, she didn't need special treatment. She could have kicked his ass anyway, it had made her respect Zuko more that fight at the Oasis, he hadn't held back. He never did.

"No?! Didn't you both study under Pakku together?" Arnook looked at the pupil, questioningly.

"Yes, Sir, we did, Master Katara locked me in a pillar of ice on several occasions."

"That's because you foolishly would hold back." Pakku snapped at him, echoing Katara's thoughts, "Unnecessarily too, my step granddaughter had surpassed most of the class in a matter of weeks."

"A man's worth is not measured by his bending ability!" Arnook snapped back.

They glared at each other, both had jaws clenched, and Katara took a step back, wondering if she would need to freeze them both in fire wine until they cooled off. Then she remembered that alcohol didn't freeze no matter how much she willed it to, so she glanced around for an escape.

"Well, I'm going to go get some food . . ." Katara flicked a hair loop out of her face, "Thank you, Chief Arnook, Master Pakku, Sangok." She was careful to say their names in the order of their status, then fled.

The food was all very traditionally Fire Nation, which meant that it was very very spicy. Katara found that she could only take a bite or two without having to take a swig of the spiced wine to cool her mouth off. That meant that in order to finish her plate, she was pretty much guaranteeing that she would also be hopelessly sloshed. If it was just a quiet evening in her room with the girls, this would not be a problem, however, she refused to risk embarrassing herself in front of all those important people.

"Here, try this, it's not spicy." She had not noticed Aang walk up to her, and his sudden appearance made her jump.

"What is it?" It looked like some sort of grey custard in a lumpy baked cup. It did not look appetizing.

"I promise, it's good," Aang grinned and stretched up to his full height proudly, "It's an Air Torte, I used to eat them when I was little . . . though, these are a little different, lumpier. Pretty good for a first try though."

Katara sighed and took one of the offered delicacies from his plate, if Zuko could eat bugs in the swamp for her, she could eat grey matter for Aang. As she chewed, there was a sounding of trumpets, and one of the guards shouted that the Earth King was arriving. Looking sour, the twenty three year old glided across the room, flanked by four dai li, and settled in a throne of his own that had been set up and draped with Ba Sing Se banners.

"We haven't really gotten a chance to spend time together lately, have we?" Aang scuffed his feet together, looking sheepish.

"No, not really." Katara confessed. It was true though, it was like their destinies which had been so intertwined for so long had finally separated.

"I thought it would be nice if tomorrow we took a ride on Appa . . . we could go see that crazy innkeeper Hama like you were planning, do you want to?"

Katara shifted back and forth. It was not like she or Zuko could do anything at the moment about Ursa. They had lost all their leads. He needed to concentrate on finding Azula, and she needed to figure out what these damn illuminati women were up to. If they were going to try something with her lover, she wanted to know about it.

"Yea, that would be great, it's not the full moon, so she shouldn't be able to blood bend. We could take her, easy." They would have to do it in the morning though, by the evening, she would have lost her bending. Somehow, she figured Hama would be too old for the four beats of bending dance, and wouldn't be affected by the new moon.

"So . . . she tell you where she was?"

Katara all but smacked her forehead, she hadn't the faintest idea. "No . . . I guess we could start in the village jail where they took her."

"That sounds good, and Katara-"

Before he could finish though, the fires along the dais catwalk had parted, and what Katara could only assume was the Fire Nation herald had stepped up in front of the Fire Lord and his date. Katara stole a glance at him now that he was no longer obscured by the flames, and blushed when she saw he was staring back.

Toph elbowed him and said something, and he smiled a small, conspiring smile.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, Warriors, and Tribesmen, may I have your attention please?"

The room had fallen silent, and both Aang and Katara pushed their way to the front of the gathering crowd to get a good view.

"Wow, Toph looks really pretty," Aang whispered, admiring her now that she was no longer obscured by the flames. Katara studied him for a minute, surprised, Aang didn't really notice things like that unless . . . .

_Could he have a crush? _She wondered.

"As you all know," The man went on, "We are gathered here tonight to commemorate a breakthrough for peace that has been a hundred years overdue. Today, we celebrate the betrothal of his Majesty the Forty Seventh Earth King, once named Kuei and her most honorable ladyship, the Duchess Zela. Here tonight to witness, is his highness Fire Lord Zuko, the Avatar Aang, Master of the four elements, last of the Air Nomads, the most revered Chieftains of the Water Tribe, Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe and Chief Hakoda from the Southern Water Tribe, and his Majesty King Bumi of Omashu. Would the scribes bring forth the contract?"

Two men stepped up to join him, one carrying a unrolled scroll on a stone plate, and the other a quill and dish of ink. As they watched, the noblewoman and what Katara assumed was her father walked the long length of the room and she signed her name onto the paper. There was a round of applause, and even a few hoots from the more inebriated partygoers.

Then the Earth King stood, closed the distance to his bride to be, took the quill from her and signed his own name onto the scroll.

"I hope she can compete with a bear." Sokka muttered somewhere to her left, and she elbowed blindly, trying to shut him up.

When the young man finished the complicated flourish of his title, the room erupted in cheers.

"Th- Thank you all for coming, I would like to be the first to congratulate the Earth King and cousin Zela, may your triumphs be great, and your passions never die!" Everyone raised their goblets, and repeated Zuko's final statement in the toast.

"Here here!!" Then, in a rather uncharacteristic show of gentlemanliness, the Earth King took his betrothed's hand and brought it to his lips. Katara wondered how long it had taken for his advisors to show the animal obsessed boy how to pull that little maneuver off. Several other couples had leaned in to kiss, and glancing over her shoulder, she saw Suki lean in and give Sokka a grudging kiss on the cheek.

She turned back to Aang, and leaned down to whisper . . . before she was quite sure how, the Avatar hand leaned up, grabbed her, and kissed her. Katara briefly wondered why she had not developed some sort of defense for this sort of thing, Aang did it often enough, when she heard some people cry out.

Wrenching away, she saw that the fire pits along the dais had jumped up to three times their normal size, and wave after wave of heat was radiating off them and into the aristocrats and nobility. Zuko was staring at Aang, anger in his eyes, and as she watched, Toph grabbed his arm and shook it, snapping the fire lord back to attention. He recovered nicely, and stood, drawing the earth bender up with him.

"Please continue." She heard Zuko stammer out, clearly shaken, allowing Toph to drag him off the stage.

"Aang!" She turned angrily to her slightly perplexed companion, "Don't do that!!"

Taking a step back, Aang looked sheepish, "but everyone else was kissing . . ."

Opening her mouth and yelling at him right then was very tempting, but she didn't want to make a scene, so instead, Katara whirled and went looking for Zuko. She sighed, there would probably be groveling involved.

"Katara!" Aang grabbed her arm, and held on, ignoring her efforts to pull away.

"Aang, let me go this instant!!" Katara used her most motherly, commanding voice.

"But Katara, I thought that-"

"Avatar Aang!" Pakku's hand came down heavily on the boy's shoulder, "I believe that my granddaughter has asked you to let her go."

That made Aang hesitate, and he looked back and forth between her and the older man questioningly. Pakku's face was contorting further and further into a scowl so sour it could curdle milk.

"Yes, Sir." Aang replied meekly, and let go.

"We'll talk later Aang." Katara shot a quick, grateful smile at her step grandfather, and slipped off towards where she had last seen Zuko and Toph.

...

...

...  
"Calm down Sparky, I'm sure it's not what it looked like!" Toph hissed as the Fire Lord paced back and forth in the hallway.

"You sure? Because YOU didn't see it!" Zuko tried to run his fingers though his hair nervously, but couldn't because of his topknot, "She leaned over and kissed him!!"

"She look, she is coming over," Toph grabbed him and forced him to stand still, "maybe you should take a few deep breaths and count to ten."

"I'm Not ANGRY!!" Zuko yelled each word louder than the previous.

"Zuko?"

Zuko turned, forcing his face into an expressionless mask. Nervous, Katara shifted from foot to foot.

"It wasn't anything, I swear, I'm so sorry!"

Toph pressed her fingers into the stone column so she could see better, the soles of her shoes were making the world blurry.

"Katara, I saw you, you leaned down and kissed him!"

"No, I leaned down to whisper something to him! I wasn't expecting it!! I wont get mad if you kiss a girl, if it will make you feel better."

"Truth."

"Toph!!" Zuko pinched his nose.

"Just trying to help." Toph seemed almost amused.

"Okay, well, we'll talk about this later, we all have facades to maintain, so let's just try to get through the evening without any more kissing."

"Can do!" Toph smiled happily, "After that thing with Suki, I have been being a whole lot more careful . . ."

"Yea, Sokka still talks about how hot it . . . never mind . . ." Zuko muttered, holding out his arm to the Earth Bender.

Katara stood, watching them go, then backed into the shadows where the red curtains met a column. Leaning her cheek against the silk, she took several deep breaths. Her dad and Pakku were back in the party, and she did want to see them, unfortunately, so was Aang, and he would probably want an explanation. Would he still want to go to see Hama? Should she go with him? Maybe not if Zuko was still angry, maybe if she took Suki with her to "chaperone".

Pressing her back into the column, Katara sank down to the floor, wedging herself between the pillar and the wall. She rested her chin onto her knees, and chewed her lip. Lost in thought, she failed to notice the two girls walking down the hallway towards her.

". . . couldn't believe it either! That she would dare come here after all that!! She kept asking about Katara!!"

Katara raised her head, this was no simple stupid court gossip. This was simple stupid court gossip about HER!!

"Lyire, Did you send word? Our ranking must be informed, she may strike again?"

"Not yet, I haven't had a chance to with all the- Shhh! Did you hear something?"

Katara held her breath.

"No."

"Well, I haven't had a chance to with all the running around cook is making us do for the party, I'll have to do it late tonight after the nobles have passed out." She recognized this voice, she was one of the servants that would scuttle about, usually doing menial labor like scrubbing the floors or fetching things. The other voice was unfamiliar, all Katara could tell was that it was a very sharp voice.

"I could slip away and send it for you, what exactly happened?"

"I don't know . . ."

"If she has gone rogue, again, and is going to meddle, again, we must write at once." The one with the sharp voice said poetically.

"I know . . ."

Something was up, they were going to do something to Zuko, and that didn't fly as far as Katara was concerned. Risking a small peek, Katara saw one of the servant girls talking to an earth kingdom noble woman. The woman's back was to her, and it didn't look as though she would turn her head, so Katara pulled her head back. Better not to risk them spotting her.

"We're pending failure, and all you can think about, are lashings from 'Cook'?"

"Easy for you to say! You've never taken a beating in your life!!" The servant hissed back, and Katara was surprised the older noblewoman did not rebuke her for speaking out of line to her betters. "Okay . . ."

Katara heard them ducking into the shadows as well, and she pulled the curtain over herself to maintain her hiding spot.

"I was picking berries in the far field, I turn around and there is some lady there, I ask her what I can do for her, all polite, and then Whoosh, she throws off her cloak and honest to the spirits it's Ursa. In the fucking flesh."

Katara clasped her hands over her mouth to keep from squeaking.

"And she is totally pushy, she kept asking about that tramp Katara, seems she figured out what we were supposed to do, but she thought that that 'painted woman' was the one that was supposed to seduce him, not you."

"But that is good news, it means she'll target the brat, instead of us two."

"Well, It would have been, but . . . I tried to lie to her, I really really did, but she has that . . . gaze, I don't know. I told her the truth, that Katara loves him and as far as I know has no affiliation with us."

"I can not-"

"Will you stop that already? It's annoying."

"Remember your place! I-"

"All you have to do is charm your way into his bed. I'm the one doing all the work! I'm the one who's limbs are at risk of being amputated!!" The servant hissed.

"Fine. I will send word about Ursa, YOU keep your eyes peeled, I will see what I can do about the smitten Fire Lord. Men are stupid, young men especially, usually all it takes is a hiked up hem line and they forget all about their commitments."

"Yea, you wish, this one is honorable and actually in love." Katara heard the footsteps recede in opposite directions, and she counted to one hundred before peeking out again. The hallway was deserted. She wished she had gotten a better look at the Earth Kingdom girl that was supposed to seduce and destroy her lover, because she would just plain old destroy her if she got within ten feet of Zuko.

Adjusting her skirt and gaucho pants, she started off down the hallway back towards the noise and festivities. Ty Lee and Suki were sitting together off in a corner, Aang was talking to Haru and Bumi, and Zuko was standing with the Earth King and Toph, probably talking shop.

Before she could cross the room to tell him the news and search out the femme fatal looking to score with him, Arnook put his hand on her shoulder.

"Why did you run off Master Katara?"

"Oh, just wanted some air . . ."

Arnook looked pleased, "The Avatar was most upset that you did not return his sentiments."

"Well, him and I have not been exactly seeing eye to eye on certain matters lately." Katara tried to stay vague, word spread like wildfire, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to-"

"Nonsense! Whatever it is, it can wait; you must come sit with us and tell us about your adventures searching for Fire Ladies past." Leading her by the arm, he sat her down between her father and Sangok, "My nephew is most anxious to hear about the water benders you met in the swamp. Sokka said you spent nearly a month studying with them."

"Yes, the women there, they're amazing benders,"

"A tribe of warrior women living in a marshy jungle?" Pakku scoffed, "It sounds absurd,"

"No, they're great, they taught me a new technique," She turned and glared at her step grandfather, "And filled me in on some vital details about women and bending that you failed to cover in your lectures."

Pakku cleared his throat but didn't argue. Clearly uncomfortable.

"What was the new technique?"

"Mind reading."

"What?!" Hakoda leaned in, "You can . . . do that?"

"It's not pleasant for either participant, and it is exhausting . . . and like bl- I mean, You have to do it during the full moon, or another time of power." Stretching up straight in her seat, she looked across the room to Zuko, who was diligently ignoring her. _Idiot._

"So . . . I'm thinking of a number . . . between one and ten."

"It doesn't work like that." Katara rolled her eyes, "You should go ask Aunt Wu though, that woman over there in the red, she could tell you."

"The woman talking to Fire Lord Zuko?"

Katara stood, trying to pry herself away, "Yes, please, I actually have something important to tell her, I'll be back though, I promise."

They watched as she trotted off, and Sangok shook his head, "Well, she seems preoccupied . . ."

"You're just not trying hard enough," Arnook scolded, "You'd think you never wooed a woman in your life, stop being so shy and go ask her to dance."

Pakku grunted, "If my start pupil is not interested, she is not interested, if you try to push her into a marriage she doesn't want, she'll run away. She is very much her Grandmother's Granddaughter."

"We won't push her, Master Pakku, stop fretting about it," Hakoda said, "but she seems to have fallen out of love with the Avatar, and she is fifteen and a half and it's high time she started considering her suitors."

The men sat in silence for a minute, cogitating this prospect, then Arnook gave his nephew a shove, "What are you waiting for."

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Ursa pulled her ostrich horse to a stop.

"There is an inn near here, it used to be owned by the puppet master, I think one of the local women took it over after she was imprisoned. We should stay there for the night."

"Yea, THAT'S a great idea, I thought you had instructions not to mess around."

"She was thrown in jail, then she broke out and disappeared, we're actually going the last place on earth we would expect to find her."

"Why do you really want to go there?"

Ursa shrugged, "I stayed there for a while after I lost my son, I liked her, you know her real name was Hama? She was from the Southern Water Tribe."

"Oh, I see, you want to snoop and see if you can find anything out about this Katara girl."

"No." _Yes.  
_  
"Fine, we can go check her out, but might I remind you that we're supposed to be tailing your daughter, not playing detective with your son's courtesans."

The inn was small and cozy, Nyla had plenty of room to stretch out in the stable out back, and she only paralyzed the stable boys once as they untacked her. The food was hot and delicious, and the ale was strong, and June, in spite of herself, was grateful they had stopped. Even in the heat of the summer, it was still nice to be in a soft bed for once, especially a free soft bed.

Ursa didn't relax much that night, after a short bath, she dragged the bounty hunter down to the common room to scrounge up some food and information.

"Oh yes, there was a big incident!" The innkeeper told her as he set a plate down in front of Ursa, "People were disappearing, turned out the woman had gone batty in her old age, she was a water bender you know, learned how to bend the blood in people's bodies."

"I never heard of such a thing. Can all water benders do that?"

"Yes, apparently they can when the moon is full, luckily the disguised Avatar and Master Water Bender Katara were here to take her down, other wise she could have taken out the whole village."

"Wait, Katara? Like, THE Katara?"

"Yup, though she was undercover at the time." The innkeeper straightened proudly, "'Stayed in this very inn, they did."

_So much for loyalty to her tribe._ Ursa was liking this girl less and less.

"Don't worry about it, she was cool." June told her from where she hunched over her plate, shoveling food into her mouth, "I heard rumors that she took out a whole Fire Nation war factory."

"That isn't exactly comforting."

"She was so cute, like, you could literally see the sparks fly, but they kept denying it. I bet they still do . . ." June grinned.

"You met Master Katara?" the innkeeper leaned in, coaxing gossip.

"I had a bounty for her a year or so back, used her necklace to find her."

"She just doesn't seem like a nice girl . . ."

"Well, what makes a 'nice girl'? What kind of girl would you want your son with?" June asked, sardonically, "Some Academy bred Ember Island twig that can't lift a dress, never worked a day in her life, never fought for something she believed in, and never disobeyed her parents?"

"I don't know . . ."

"'Round here the villagers have nothing but good things to say bout that girl, she healed the sick, fed the hungry, even taught some kids to dance." The man scratched his beard thoughtfully.

"It's not your place, let it go. Anyways, I would bet the whole bounty that that girl has nothing to do with _US_." It was clear by 'us' June meant the sirens.

"Well, that's the whole idea, right? To be innocent, nobody thought I was dangerous either."

"Ha! You're the most dangerous person on the planet!!" June told her, "Like mother like daughter."

Ursa cringed.

"Well," The innkeeper was lost by then, but refilled their mugs with ale and forged on, "Sure wish that water bender was here when Hama broke out."

"What happened to her?" June asked taking a long drag from her tankard.

"Next full moon she broke out and ran off into the mountains, seems she has had some experience breakin out of prison, if y'all know what I mean."

Ursa chewed on her lip.

"We're not going on a wild goose chase through the mountains." June stated before she could even ask.

"But . . ."

"You're supposed to be finding your daughter. No wonder she has a vendetta against you if you're constantly ditching her for her brother."

Ursa cringed again. June never did pull her punches.

"Anyways, We aint got anything with her smell on it."

"Oh, I do!" The innkeeper volunteered, "This place is full of her stuff, puppets, blankets, cloths, she even left this rather pretty comb . . ."

"It won't take long."

June shrugged, "It's your funeral."

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"You really do remind me of one of my assistants." Aunt Wu told Toph, "You sure you are an only child?"

"Yes, very."

"Very strange." Aunt Wu seemed to dismiss it, "Now Fire Lord, I am quite sure that you invited me for reasons other than my status as the elder of my village."

"Katara and Aang talked about you sometimes in the Western Air Temple, they said you could read futures."

"Yes, I can. Would you like to hear yours?"

"No, I wanted to know if you could tell me where my mother is."

A shadow crossed Aunt Wu's features, and she hesitated, "I could, but not here, I would need my bones and talismans."

"Cant you read my palm or something?"

"Not with complicated information like that, especially since it does not involve you directly." Aunt Wu took a sip from her goblet.

"I could arrange for replacement artifacts."

"That would do."

"So you can really read fortunes?" Toph asked skeptically and held out her hand to the woman, "So, what do you see?"

"Yes, Master Toph," Aunt Wu studied her palm, peering over her, "You have very rough palms, my dear, you must always be fighting . . . I see that you will live a long life, full of happiness. I see you inheriting your family's power and position, marrying the most powerful bender in the world, and children. Your life will be calm, but not dull, and you will never want for anything."

Toph made a face, "That's pretty general."

"You will share your first kiss with a boy, in two weeks, well, three weeks from tomorrow." Aunt Wu told her with a wink.

"Okay, I guess that wasn't vague." Toph took her hand back, tracing her fingers over the lines, probably trying to imagine what they looked like. As she looked, Katara came over to them after wriggling her way out of a conversation with the tribesmen.

"Zuko." Katara cut in, then bowed her head respectively, "Hello Aunt Wu, nice to see you again after so long, Zuko, we need to talk."

"Again?"

"It has been a while," Aunt Wu smiled, "You have become quite a grown up since I read you."

"You read S . . . Katara?" Toph seemed interested, "What did she say? Is it true?"

"It hasn't happened yet, Toph, but Zuko-"

"So, what did she say?"

"She told me about what I should eat for breakfast, Zuko, please It's very important."

"It can wait until tomorrow morning." His voice plainly stated that he was still annoyed with her, and didn't want to talk.

"No, it can't," Katara fought back, rooting around her brain for weapons to use against the grumpy Fire Lord, "Tomorrow morning Aang and I are going to go see Hama."

"Then it can wait until you get back." Zuko dismissed.

"It's about Ursa!"

Zuko stiffened, then bowed to Aunt Wu, "Excuse me for a minute." He took Katara's arm and dragger her over to the side, "What about her?"

Dislodging her arm from his grip, Katara checked behind the pillars, then leaned in, "Two women were talking about her in the hallway, they said that she was here, on the palace grounds. One was a servant, and the other was a noblewoman, I didn't see her face though, but I think I could recognize her voice again if I heard it, I-"

"Katara? What are you doing back here?" Sangok stepped awkwardly into the shadows to join them.

"Just, you know . . ." Katara trailed off, luckily the water tribe boy did not seem to notice the lack of response.

"Would you er, do me the honor of, um joining me for the next dance?" he asked as though he had memorized it and was reciting it.

She wanted to bend all the water from the immediate area and throw down, she was getting that annoyed, but she forced a smile.

"Perhaps later."

"Umm . . . . . . . . okay." He turned and fled.

"Who is that, your fiancé?" Zuko asked jealously as the boy scurried back to the safety of the water tribe men.

"What?!" Katara would not have been surprised if her jaw hit the floor.

"Your fiancé, in the Foggy Swamp, your brother said Chief Arnook was trying to get you betrothed to someone. Is that him? You have a boyfriend, now a fiancé, and a secret lover, what other suitors are you going to pick up 'tara?"

Several seconds passed and Katara realized she had forgotten to close her mouth, and she hurriedly did so with a click of her teeth.

"Are they?" She managed to stammer out, then huffed and tramped over to her father. Zuko trailed behind, probably saying something calming and rational, luckily, she blocked it out.

"Dad! Sokka!!" Katara put her hands on her hips, "What is going on here?"

Hakoda looked at his daughter, paling a little, "What do you mean?"

"I'm not marrying anyone!!" Katara pointed at Sangok, "Especially not him!!"

"'Tara, maybe you should calm down and . . . sober up?" Zuko suggested, putting a hand on her shoulder. He hadn't exactly planned for her to throw a tantrum, though the situation was clearly tantrum-worthy.

"He doesn't know me, he doesn't respect me, he isn't even a good bender!!"

"That's what I said!" Pakku agreed smugly.

"Only the bit about the bending." Sokka argued.

"Katara, people are starting to stare!" Hakoda remarked, standing and patting his daughter's hair.

"Maybe I will go live with the amazons in the swamp! At least I'm respected there!" she stalked off and spent most of the rest of the evening sitting with Suki, talking about how much men sucked.

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**Okay, so I have been getting a bunch of questions that I thought I would try to answer, I know one has to read between the lines a bit to catch all of what is going on, and I also understand that this isn't English class . . .**

**Is Ursa a water bender? Is Ursa ½ god/spirit?**

No, nobody knows exactly what her parentage is, there are a lot of strange, sentient critters in the ocean, Aang himself met one in the finale, and signs point to it being some sort of sea person. She has no gills, bending, or healing abilities she does seem to inherit their voice. Whatever was her father was was flesh and blood, not a god, just not, technically human either.

You know, if platypi and bears can crossbreed in Avatarverse, so can humans and fish!!

Neither Zuko nor Azula have their mother's talents of persuasion, but both have inherited a pretty singing voice from her, a slightly transparent, slightly otherworldly pale skin tone, . . . and perhaps a longing for the ocean that manifests itself in their choices of lovers.

**Did the Sirens send someone to take control of Zuko, or does Ursa suspect that someone is going to?**

Yes, Ursa is very suspicious that someone is supposed to 'seduce and destroy' her son, in fact, she is 99.9% sure someone will, it's just a question of who.

She suspects Katara. She may "take matters into her own hands" (again) if she thinks Katara is a threat. Ursa has gone rogue before, and she'll do it again.

We all know it is NOT Katara, so that means that there will be someone else chasing Zuko in the near future, and that does not bode well for anyone.

**Shouldn't Katara be able to heal her soreness?**

Katara mentioned in earlier chapters that she couldn't heal "natural" pains. She couldn't heal Toph's blindness, she couldn't ease womanly cramps, she couldn't mend a deformity that someone was born with. She cant heal anything pre-programmed or naturally occurring.

Luckily for her she has a sexy fire bender with warm massaging hands to help her.

**I thought the letter was talking about Azula. Didn't Iroh get hit in the chest by Azula, too?**

Iroh was speaking in a riddle . . . or a metaphor. an 'old flame' hints that maybe there was a love triangle between him, Ursa, and Ozai, Ursa plainly loved him for years.

'Burn' could refer to either a 'burning feeling'(of love?) or a hurt she caused him (disappearing suddenly). 'Chest ache' might mean 'heart ache' he might be alluding to the fact that he is depressed, he might be drawing a parallel between Him and Ursa and Katara and Zuko with talk of burns and chests.

Katara and Zuko know he is talking in riddles, they just haven't worked out what it is yet. As is the nature of riddles, they probably won't until it's too late.

**Katara's going to get pregnant**?

I promise there will be some Katara/children action, but I am not saying whose they are.

**What are the chances that Azula is going to get at least a slightly happy ending?**

As for Azula's ending, all I will say is that there was foreshadowing of it. Specifically in something Ty Lee said.

**Dusk blooming choke vines... do my eyes detect a shout out to Patricia C. Wrede? **

Yes, mainly because Cimorene and Katara remind me of each other so freakin much. You could totally see Katara getting bored and running off to be a Dragon's princess, taking down Wizards and pushy Knights.

**Why doesn't Sokka just tell Aang about Katara?**

He doesn't want to be the one to break it to him, he has been wavering though, and hinting about it.

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**Is anyone else having trouble figuring out these new graphs? I am, it used to be so easy to figure out how many views I am getting and the ratio of reviews to views. Now it's just confusing . . . any of you authors getting that too? . . . so sorry for the delays.**

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**So, In addition to fanart and fanfiction, I am now accepting an oral presentation on the Fauvists as a chapter bribe. Or you could go the old fashioned way and leave reviews. **

**Lots and lots of delicious reviews.**


	26. Chapter 26: The Trail

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: R

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** while I don't own Avatar, the Last Airbender, I'm not making any money off of it, I don't plan to, it's not mine, this is totally fan made.

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**Chapter 26:**

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"The party is probably over by now it's two candle marks after midnight, you really should go talk to him, If nothing else, tell him the rest about Ursa, or maybe see if you can figure out the earth noblewoman." Suki ran a brush through her hair where she knelt on Katara's bed, "Especially if you're going out with Aang tomorrow morning. Call me crazy, but I don't think Zuko is as self secure as he lets on."

She had spent the last hour relating a vague, ranting account to Suki of everything that had happened. From the mind bending, to getting come on to by Zuko's father, to her father encouraging her to marry, to the servants whispering about Ursa. Some of it the warrior already knew, but she had listened patiently as the girl ranted anyways.

"What am I supposed to say to him?" Katara put her head in her arms, "He is all upset because my family is trying to push me into a marriage. How is that my fault?!"

"Hahaha," She wiggled back and forth, "Oh man, Sokka's expression was priceless! 'We aren't friends, he doesn't think of me as an equal, and he isn't even a powerful bender!!'" Suki mimicked her friend's tone.

"Yea, I bet they're going to have trouble recruiting any more suitors after the men up north find out just how docile I am." Katara rubbed her temples, now that she was no longer mad, she felt humiliated by her behavior.

"Who cares, you should run off to live in the foggy swamp if they keep pressing you." Suki uncrossed her ankles and sat up, "No Water tribesmen will dare get within a mile of one of those, especially after Sokka gets done telling tall tales about them. I know a dangerous woman when I see one."

That comment reminded Katara, and she leaned against her dresser and crossed her arms, deciding to tell her friend about the thread that held all the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Suki, have you ever heard of a Siren?"

"Why are you changing the subject?"

"Suki!"

"Yes, they're a myth, they're supposed to be half human, half fish, with voices so compelling that anyone who heard it would do as they were commanded. There is this myth of these pirates who ran across some sunbathing and singing on an outcropping at sea, and they scuttled their ship on the rocks and were drowned by the malicious women while they were trying to reach them." Suki scoffed at this, "At least, that's the way the men try to swing it. If I was minding my own business, singing on a rock in the middle of the ocean with my warriors, and suddenly a bunch of women-deprived slime ball pirates land, ready to ravage my mouth, and any girl parts I may or may not have, I would order them to drown themselves too! It's self defense!! It's not like-"

"No, not an animal . . . or . . . person, I mean, something like an organization."

Suki frowned then slowly and meaningfully bit out, "Don't get involved."

"So, you've heard of them!!" Katara was relieved, "Ursa is mixed up in it, and I think . . . I think to find her I shoul-"

"Don't get involved with them," Suki told her again.

"I know the two girls after Zuko are involved, and I think Hama was, or is, too." Katara forged on, ignoring Suki's advice, "She want's to meet with me. She probably has more to teach me, probably another dreadful technique, but, I think, maybe I can bargain with her, Ursa's location if I submit to learning the technique."

"It's a bad idea." Suki told her darkly.

Katara huffed, she thought it was pretty plausible.

"From what you tell me, Hama was off her rocker in her old age."

"So is King Bumi, but everyone loves him"

"So is Azula." Suki retorted, "Need I say more?"

"But-"

"Stop making excuses for everyone and accept the situation at hand and deal with it." Suki scolded in the tone she used when she barked orders to her Kyoshi, "Why haven't you told Zuko his mother is high ranking in some sort of secret organization?"

"I-"

"Why haven't you told him about the two women trying to seduce and destroy him?"

"Well-"

"Why haven't you told everyone that you are in love with the Fire Lord?"

"But I was-"

"Why haven't you summoned the servant that you saw talking for questioning?"

"Do you think-" Katara paused, and when no interruption came, she finished, "Do you think that I should confront her?"

Suki sighed, "What was her name again? Lyire, right? I remember it because it sounds like liar, and I thought it was fitting."

Katara pulled her door open and cleared her throat. The guard posted there, who had been napping, stood quickly to attention.

"How may I be of service, Master Waterbender Katara?"

"I need you to fetch a servant for me."

"Sorry, Master, I was told to watch you in case the Princess attacks. You can summon one by pulling on the-"

"No, I need a specific one . . . Her name is Lyire."

"But Master-"

"She is a master waterbender, and with the captain of the Kyoshi warriors in a palace full of royal guests," Suki sounded authoritative, "There is no need to summon one servant to get another, they are probably killing themselves trying to run food and drink back and forth from the kitchen to the ballroom."

"Yes, Ma'am, What shall I tell her you want her to bring, or do . . . or clean, as far as I know, she doesn't really have a specialty . . ." The guard seemed confused, but admitted defeat and stepped away from his post.

Katara and Suki looked at one another for a minute, neither of them had an answer as to why they wanted a specific servant.

"We want . . . um . . . cherries." Katara blurted out, it had been the first thing to jump into her head.

"I want a plate of fruit tarts." Suki tried.

"and I want to know what kind of herbs Lyire uses in her hair." Katara supplied a second later, since they didn't specifically need her for the cherries.

"So, we want to kill two birds with one stone." Suki finished awkwardly. She had never been great at lying or name calling, but she recovered quickly, "I also want you to round up a squad of men and sweep the grounds, there was talk of someone sneaking onto the grounds earlier."

"Pay special attention to the . . ." Katara frowned, trying to remember where Lyire had said she was, "'Far field of berries', that's where she came in."

"Er, the one of tiger berries or the one of fire plums?"

"Both!" Suki glared, "And report back to me whether or not you find something . . . and go get Ty Lee!"

"Well, that wasn't suspicious." Katara muttered after she had closed the door.

"Eh, he's a man, he is probably just thinking 'girls are crazy' and jogging off down the hall."

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Zuko was sure that the only thing keeping him in the throne room was the earth bender clinging hard to his arm. It was as though her feet were rooted to the spot, every time he tried to pull her towards the door, she would lean into her heels and refuse to budge. He wasn't sure if she was looking out for Katara, keeping him well away until the waterbender had cooled off, or annoying him, by refusing to let him get his way, or looking out for him by forcing him to stay until the proceedings were over with. It would be rude for a host to vanish halfway through the night.

Half heartedly, he agreed with whatever Bumi had said to him, and glanced around the room again. Katara and Suki had wandered out a bit earlier, talking furtively, Sokka was talking to Ty Lee, who seemed to be demonstrating some sort of breathing technique, and Aang was on a chair in the corner, starting to dose off.

"So Master Toph, the Avatar is almost fully trained, Haru tells me you have asked him about helping with the reconstruction?" Bumi grinned and swirled his glass, it would have been much more effective had there actually been liquid in it.

"Well, They wiped out almost everything for miles from Omashu to the Great Divide. I thought they might like a metal bender to help, at least with some of the framework." Toph shrugged, "I don't really have anywhere TO go."

"You're not going home to see your parents?"

"NO!!" Toph choked out, "No, I love them, but, no. They'll try to make me a lady."

Zuko decided not to point out that Toph had been acting like a lady for most of the night, and she was doing a pretty damn good job of it. Although it was a compliment, he had the feeling that he would get an elbow in the ribs for it.

Bumi rose a few minutes later, to go find drink ofr his goblet, and Zuko stood as well, starting to leave. Toph yanked him back down.

"Stop being so jumpy." She told him, "You're getting as bad as Napping Toes over there."

"I just . . . Katara and I should be sweeping the grounds, or something . . ."

"I think you pissed Katara off by being justifiably jealous." Toph placidly picked up a fire flake from his plate and popped it in her mouth, changing the subject, "Call me crazy, but I get the feeling that there might be something she isn't telling you."

"Really?" Zuko frowned, Katara was one of the most honest people he knew, apart from uncle. It just didn't seem like her to keep things from him, but it wasn't like her to keep things from Aang either. The more he thought about it though, the more plausible it became. She was independent and protective, and it seemed like she was always one step ahead of him, especially in the search for his mother. He felt as though she was dragging him in her wake as she searched for him, instead of them working as a team. It had started as a favor between old friends, but Zuko was beginning to worry if it meant more to her than that. It was like she was trying to give him the chance to have the one thing in the world she wanted more desperately than anything else: a long gone mother back from the spirit world.

"Yea, but, no worries, maybe it's just a private girl thing that she prefers to handle with girls." Toph picked up a dumpling from his plate and delicately put it in her mouth.

"I happen to be her slightly unwilling go-to-guy for most of her 'private girl things'" Zuko mumbled, "It's part of the reason we went to the swamp."

"Do you want my advice, Sparky?" Toph asked, then continued before he could ascent or decline, "I think you should give her a little time to cool off, she is mad at the water tribe men, but I'm sure she would take it out on you if given the chance. Then in a hour or two, go apologize even though you have nothing to apologize for, say you overreacted to the kiss, and that you believe her that it was an accident, but that you don't want it to happen again, so she better tell Aang that she isn't . . . you know, up for grabs-and-kisses anymore."

Zuko pinched his nose, frowning and thinking. Without looking, he pulled his plate away so Toph, who had been making another grab couldn't reach.

"Hey!"

"Toph, stop it, if you want some fire flakes, we can go get you some." He told her.

Toph rolled her glassy eyes, "You know, I am testing your food for poison . . . and love potions. You should be thanking me, you're welcome, by the way."

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The sea.

Azula HATED the sea.

It wasn't that it was wet, or cold, or full of little wriggling things, though that was definitely part of it. It was that it reminded her of her mother, and it reminded her of Katara. The two women who she hated the most in all the world, the two women she had not been able to take away from her stupid brother.

"Azula, how much longer are we going to stay here?" Mai asked plaintively, wrapping her cloths around her so they fit more snugly, "Words cannot express how much I hate being out here."

That made two of them.

"Go back to the inn then."

"The men leer at me if you're not there."

"Deal with it, I'm not your boyfriend,"

"Actually, yea, you kind of are." Mai complained, "So come back with me, I'm hungry."

Azula glared, nothing she did ever seemed to change the girl. Not even electrocuting her had helped. Mai didn't fear her, she treated her like a field of landmines; only step where you knew was safe. If she saw her would be fiancé getting too agitated, she would back off or distract her.

"Did you see something out there?" Azula asked suddenly, scampering to the edge of the cliff face and peering out over the moonlit water. She could have sworn she saw a head break the surface.

"It's probably just a boat." Mai told her in her usual bored, whiney monotone.

"Or it would be a sneaking water bender."

"Azula, you haven't been sleeping, you look like you're about to collapse, you have huge dark circles under your eyes." Mai seemed genuinely concerned, but Azula was beyond believing a word from that woman's mouth, "You need to sleep, eat, and drink something without alcohol in it or you'll make yourself sick. Sicker."

Azula hissed and bent to a crouch, peering at where the waves crashed several hundred feet below. Nothing but froth and waves churned below, but Azula kept watching, ignoring Mai's chatter. When she finally looked up, she was alone, and the sliver of moon had risen several arc minutes in the sky. How long had she been spaced out?

"WHERE ARE YOU!?" She yelled suddenly, her voice echoing out over the water. "I'M WAITING FOR YOU!!! I'm _still_ . . . waiting for you . . ." the last few words came out pitifully, chocking with a suppressed sob, and Azula felt her lower lip tremble. She bit it harshly and shook her head to clear it, before sinking down on the rock Mai had monopolized earlier.

It still haunted her sometimes, though she wasn't sure why. She couldn't remember everything, and that bothered her, it was as though her own brain betrayed her by not recording everything that happened that night.

Azula closed her eyes.

_She had woken with a start before the night had turned to early morning, she wasn't sure why anymore, though she assumed it had been a nightmare. She called for her mother, even though she knew that she would never be able to hear her across the vast castle. Strains of conversation and laughter still wafted up from the floors below, and she could hear servants scurrying back and forth._

_On trembling knees, Azula remembered she had risen, it was stuffy in her room, and she wanted some fresh air. Although she wouldn't admit it to herself, she was scared to be in the big dark room alone. Any shadow could have held an assassin, any window a monster, and she craved to be out in the life filled corridors again._

_She had padded off down the hallway, sticking to the wall and keeping out of sight. There were still plenty of servants about, and any one of them would try to send her off to bed if they caught her out. _

_Following the curve of the hall, she found herself at Zuko's door, and she had considered sneaking into his room and jumping on him, pretending to be a murderer. He would always scream and cry and carry on until their mother came running. She would always come running for him . . . In fact, the only attention she ever got from the damn woman was when she was yelling at her, usually about Zuko. _

_She had quickly moved on, Zuko was a pathetic older brother who couldn't even bend better than her, despite their year's age difference. He wouldn't even be able to protect her if he had to. All he would have been able to do was jump in front of an attack. Firebending was about taking determination and rage and channeling it into your bending, and that was what Azula did, and soon, to her satisfaction, she found herself excelling at the art. That got her Ozai's attention, and that had had to be good enough._

_Her muddled thoughts focused again on the memory and she remembered walking past her grandfather's room. The door opened suddenly and she had to duck behind the curtain to avoid being seen by any servant or courtesan coming out. _

_To her surprise, it had been Ursa. She looked pale and stricken in the moonlight, and Azula glanced past her to see her grandfather slumped on the floor, his topaz eyes wide and sightless his fingers still spasming. She had been glad that someone had finally taken it upon themselves to put the old bat out of his misery, but she became furious when her young mind connected the dots and she realized why Ursa had. She had done it to save Zuko. _

_Azula couldn't remember clearly whether or not she cried, but she thought she did. She knew she followed her mother, but she couldn't remember it well. Just slinking along the floor and hiding in the shadows. She had only gone to the Academy for one season, so she didn't know much more than one semester's worth of stealth training, but it seemed to be enough. Ursa never knew she was there._

_As usual._

"_Fire Lady!" A woman grabbed her and pulled her to the side, "You have spoiled everything!!"_

_Ursa didn't say anything._

"_Ozai, Ozai will kill us all!! You had orders to keep him from the throne at all cost! With his father dead, you know he will make a bid for it in his brother's absence!! Oh you have damned us all to decades more of war!!!"_

"_I did what I had to do."_

"_You must run! They'll be angry, and their actions will be efficient and swift, they'll wipe out Ozai and his line to make sure Iroh is crowned."_

"_I know. You will get me an appeal to the council, I will change their mind." It was an order._

"_That's all the way to the Earth Kingdom!!"_

Azula shuddered at her mother's voice, even at that age it had sounded wrong to her. She had figured out that something about Ursa's voice made people do things, it didn't make sense though, Ursa could never order her or Zuko to do anything. She remembered once the older woman had tried it, Zuko was throwing a monster tantrum because he didn't want to go home from Ember Island, Ursa had ordered him to be quiet in that same tone, and it had had absolutely no effect.

"_Yes ma'am, we'll need to leave now."_

"_I have to say goodbye first." Ursa turned to Zuko's door and pushed it open, entering. _

_Azula had felt panic then, and had rushed back to her room. She didn't understand then where her mother was going, but she did want to be in her room when her mother came to say goodbye to her. She didn't want to miss it, she wanted the attention, and her traitorous heart sped up in anticipation of getting a hug and a kiss._

"STUPID!!" Azula yelled out over the waves again, her face burning in shame even years later, "YOU'RE SO STUPID!!" She clasped her forearms, digging her nails in hard. "Stupid . . ."

_She had sat unblinking in bed until the sun rose, Ursa had not come._

"YOU THOUGHT SHE WOULD ACTUALLY COME?! YOU'RE A MONSTER!! SHE HATED YOU!!" She yelled again, her face contorting with self loathing. She wasn't sure if she was talking to Ursa or herself.

"_WHERE ARE YOU!!??" She finally yelled when her blood sung to her that it was dawn. The servants came running, but her mother was not among them. _

"WHERE ARE YOU!!??" Azula screamed out again, staggering to her feet, knees practically buckling under the weight of her rage, "HOW MANY PEOPLE DO I HAVE TO KILL?! HOW MUCH OF A MONSTER DO I HAVE TO BE!?!? You're never going to come, are you?"

"_Princess, what is all the fuss?!" Lo came bustling in, Lee only a step behind her._

_Azula felt humiliated, she felt abandoned, she felt angry, she doubled over in the covers and shook. Her lips wobbled, but she pushed the sadness away, pushing it down. Her mother hated her? Well, Azula would hate her back!! _

"I HATE YOU!!" Azula's taxed body finally crumpled and she landed hard on her hands and knees, unsure whether she was talking to Ursa or herself. Rocking her weight backward, she mirrored her posture from the memory, her back muscles began to twitch from the tension.

"I'm so sorry, my daughter." The princess looked down, seeing her mother's shadow on the turf, but when she looked up, she was alone.

"AZULA!!" It was Mai this time, flanked by two boys who worked in the stable of the seedy in where they were staying, "Azula! What the hell is wrong with you?! You're acting insane!"

"Nothing!" Azula smiled, "I am getting saner! I think I understand. I think I understand everything!!"

Mai looked nonplussed, "You fainted so I went and got some stable boys to help me carry you back to your room, I come back and you're yelling your head off at the ocean!!"

"In my opinion, we should carry her to the asylum. Right Gen?" One whispered to the other.

Electricity sparkled through Azula's fingertips and Mai shut up, taking a step backwards.

"Azula, come back to the room," Mai sounded the closest to pleading that Azula had ever heard, and it made her grin.

"_Who's going to stop me? Mom?" Azula taunted Zuko. _

_She was relishing the newfound freedom. She used everything at her disposal to make her brother's life a living hell. She waited up every night until almost dawn for her mother to come. _

_She never did._

_She hated her so much . . . _

Whatever happened next was a blur, she must have lost consciousness again, because when she came around the Innkeeper's wife and Mai were trying to spoon a warm mash down her throat.

"Maybe if you water it down some more." Apparently, Mai was supervising.

Azula hacked, and gasped, pushing the wooden spoon and the hand attached out of her face. Her stomach flipped over, and she barely had time to double over before she was throwing up on the floor the contents of her stomach which she had not remembered swallowing.

The older woman was holding her jagged hair back, and Mai retreated several steps, looking away, grossed out.

"You're . . . . –cough- . . . . You're trying to DRUG me!" She accused the woman.

"No, No dearie, you're just not well, when was the last time you ate?"

"Before she tortured those three bounty hunters." Mai supplied, waving a hand in front of her face, as though she was trying to dispel the smell of Azula's stomach acids.

"You're both plotting to capture me! You want to turn me in to my brother for the reward!! You want to kill me!!" Azula grabbed for the woman's wrists, but her vision blurred, and her hand grasped nothing but air, and she began to topple off the chair.

"I'm no healer, but you're dehydrated and exhausted. You're delirious." The woman's hands found her shoulders and steadied her.

"Don't deny it! You're all just waiting for the perfect chance . . .!!" Azula blasted the room full of lightening, aimed in all directions.

She heard the woman scream and Mai grunt, and then nothing. Azula jumped up. Though she felt no sensation of falling, the room tilted wildly up to meet her horizontally, and she sprawled onto it. Daggers pinned her to the floor by her clothing, but a few wiggles and Azula heard the pinned cloth tear, releasing her. Someone grabbed her shoulders, and she clawed at where their head should be, her hand connected, her nails finding purchase and slicing, and they let go.

Her vision cleared, and she saw Mai reeling back, clutching her face, blood spilling out between her fingers. She was screaming and swearing, howling and calling Azula every foul name she knew. From what Azula could see, one of her fingernails had caught her eyelid, perhaps even the eye beneath, and another had sliced her lip clean open. On top of that there were three other gashes across her cheek and forehead.

"Now stop that swearing this instant and help me hold her down! Can't you see she isn't well? Mind her fingers!" The innkeeper's wife was about four times as large as Mai, and she used her sizable fat to pin the struggling royal to the floor, "Why haven't you brought your friend to a healer?" she said accusingly to Mai.

"I don't need a healer, I need my mother!!" Azula hissed.

"That ain't no lie." The woman muttered.

"I thought she would run herself into the ground days ago! She hasn't slept as all for weeks!!" Mai sounded defensive, her voice spluttering through the blood dripping into her mouth and her now severed lip, "Why are you taking her side?! She just ripped open my FACE!!"

Azula laughed in satisfaction as her vision clouded black again. She didn't feel guilty in the least for drawing her second most loyal friend's blood. Something connected sharply with her head, and all was black.

...

...

...  
Lyire huffed as she arranged the tarts on the plate. It had been a bad night. Yelled at by Cook, threatened by the Fire Lady, running back and forth carrying plates, having to deal with that infernal aristocrat that thought herself sooo damn eloquent, and finally getting singled out to make a snack run. She had hoped to slip away to send a message to their ranking that night, in case her partner decided to take more credit than she deserved.

"Jeez, that many tarts?" one of the other girls giggled as she passed, "Is the Lady Mai visiting?"

"Ha Ha." Lyre responded dryly, wiping sweat from her forehead with her forearm.

"And make sure you get all the cherry pits out this time. You remember what happened the last time you forgot one."

"Shut up!" Lyire barked, it was well past midnight, and she had been up since long before dawn, and was in no mood to be teased about her one-day banishment. She picked up a plate in each palm and pushed through the 'out' door of the kitchen, her mood still black. Why had the guard insisted that it had to be her? She couldn't get a straight answer out of him, he said he forgot, something about hair. Lyire wasn't a stylist, they should be summoning one of the senior ladies in waiting. Who wanted hair advice at two a.m. anyways?

Precariously balancing both trays on one arm, she knocked on Master Katara's guest room.

"Come in." She heard one of them call.

Pushing the latch down, she stepped inside, "Where would you like these . . Master . . . Ka . . . . ta . . . . . . ra . . . . . . ?"

Three girls were glaring at her, their arms crossed.

"The table." Suki told her, pointing.

Lyire gulped, her hands shaking as she closed the door behind her. This was not good. The female of the species was far more deadly than the male, and she had two angry female martial artists and a master bender on her hands. Ty Lee discreetly stepped between her and the door, and Katara between her in the window, and they all drew closer.

"Now, Lyire, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

Dropping her plates onto the table, she bolted, but the Kyoshi grabbed her around the waist, pivoted around, and flung her back onto the floor, using her momentum against her.

"Tell us about Ursa!" Suki ordered.

"No, make her tell us about the Earth Kingdom girl." Katara cut in

Lyire glanced back and forth, then tried to make herself as pathetic looking as possible, sometimes when played right, one could invoke pity and use it to one's advantage. She knew from word of mouth that the water bending brat was motherly, so she focused on her.

"Please don't hurt me?" the servant girl willed her eyes to tear, "I didn't do anything! Master Katara, don't let her hurt me!"

"We're not-"

"Katara!" Suki cut her off, "Tell us what we want to know and we'll let you go unharmed. If not . . ."

Lyire swallowed and nodded, trying to look pitiful.

"What do you know about Ursa?"

"Nothing!"

"You're lying." Ty Lee accused, her voice taking on a slight edge of anger, "Your aura is turning black, boy, girl are you ever scared . . ."

"I know you saw her this morning." Suki stepped closer, "If you don't tell us everything you know, I will see to it that the Fire Lord himself questions you, and he is very very desperate to hear news of his mother."

"Zuko isn't his sister." Lyire spat out, suddenly dropping her helpless act, clearly it was not working on the Kyoshi, "He won't harm me."

"No. HE won't." Katara spoke suddenly, and everyone looked at her, "This is wasting time, Ty Lee, hand me my water skin."

Ty Lee did so, prancing across the room and bringing it over.

"I owe Zuko, I owe him one mother's worth of parental closure, and I plan to deliver. He helped me let go of mine, and I am going to help him reel his in. No matter what." She uncorked her skin and drew out a measure of water, "Tell me everything, EVERYTHING you know about Ursa, or I will take it from you."

"Katara?" Ty Lee shifted back and forth uneasily, "This isn't like you . . ."

"Ty Lee, hit her so she can't move her head, Suki, hold her in place in case she writhes." Katara crouched down, adjusting her cloths with a free hand.

As Ty Lee stepped around her, reluctantly jabbing her in a few key points along her collarbone and spine, Suki leaned in.

"I thought you could only do this during the full moon or one of your spikes?"

"It's a lot more difficult, but, I'm feeling lucky." Katara replied darkly.

"Okay," Suki grabbed the slumped girl by her ponytail and flipped her over, straddling her and holding her in place.

Reaching down, Katara pressed the water to the girl's forehead, her brow furrowed in desperation. Several long minutes past, and Ty Lee finally elbowed Suki, and whispered a furtive question.

"Is something . . . is something happening?"

"Shhhh!"

A few more seconds, and Ty Lee opened her mouth again, but before she could speak, Lyire started shrieking. Her whole body tensed and untensed as she writhed in apparent agony. Suki clamped her hand over the older girl's mouth, though it didn't do much to stifle her. The only testament that Katara was doing anything at all was the sweat that suddenly sprung up on her brow, and dripped down her nose. As they watched Katara began to shake as well, her whole body twitching like an overworked muscle, the color draining from her face.

"Katara be gentle!! If you can't, you can't." Ty Lee stepped anxiously back and forth. Tens of minutes crawled by, and soon the servant's screams turned to whimpering. If Lyire had been fighting it, she was finally giving up. None too soon, for that matter. Katara looked as though she was about to collapse, her hands shook, her skin had turned ashen and cold to the touch, it seemed to contract around the veins of her neck and arms, making them stand out. Most alarmingly of all, blood was starting to drip copiously from her nose and the corners of her mouth from the effort, and Ty Lee quickly found a rag and caught it before it dripped off her chin.

"Damn it! She doesn't know her partner's name." Katara gasped out suddenly as though she had been holding her breath, and spat out a mouthful of blood, "But I saw Ursa, she was . . . she was asking about me, she didn't look happy. I don't know, her memory is a bit choppy, she was panicking, Ursa was going to make her cut off her finger." Slowly, Katara sank all the way to the floor, her teeth chattering, and pressed her forehead to the cool stone, waiting for the throbbing in her brain to slacken.

"That's messed up!" Ty Lee was suddenly sympathetic, "Zuko's mother always seemed so nice when we were kids!"

"Did you see what the other girl looked like?"

"Tallish, thin, black hair, narrow face, she looked very strict." Katara paused, shakily taking the rag and wiping her face, "she spoke in haikus. Do we have a blanket? I'm freezing!"

Lyire was gasping too, every bit as pale as her aggressor, thought not oozing blood. "She is an aristocrat from Ba Sing Se, she likes to talk in haikus and it's annoying as hell. Look, I'll tell you what you want, just don't do that again!!" There was only so much a girl could stand in a day, and she had definitely reached her breaking point.

Suki looked up at Katara, "Why didn't you mention that? That would have been a big hint, we could have looked in the ballroom for her. Everyone has probably headed off to bed by now."

Katara leaned forward, putting her head between her knees, waiting for the room to stop spinning, "I . . . I didn't notice the first time in the hallway."

"Oh man, we're going to have to like, make Zuko recite some more poetry for you if you can't even recognize a haiku when you hear one!" Ty Lee giggled nervously, her fingers still held up and ready to strike.

Katara huffed.

"You want me to go get him?" Ty Lee offered.

"No, not yet."

"Katara is afraid he is still mad over her little kiss."

"My _accidental_ kiss."

"How do you accidentally kiss someone?" Ty Lee asked overly innocently.

"That's what I'd like to know." Suki grinned back.

"Stop it you guys! Not a good time."

"I think she is just being a coward." Suki taunted, not quite out of her cold, interrogation mindspace.

"I'm not a coward!!"

"Yea! Pfft." Suki rolled her eyes, grinning sarcastically, relieved to lighten the darkening mood by a bit of teasing "Yea Katara, you really proved that one tonight by hiding in your room with me for the tail end of the party."

"You know what?! I don't see you dancing the night away with my brother!!" Suki fell silent at this and Katara got the distinct feeling that she had gone too far. The air was suddenly thick, and Ty Lee busied herself taking the pinch off of the crumpled serving girl.

"I mean . . ." Katara was suddenly feeling guilty about snapping, "What's with our boyfriends? Shouldn't they be outside our door with flowers and apologies?"

"Sokka doesn't really do apologies, he thinks apologies are for lesser men without strength of conviction or fear of consequence."

"Um, Katara?" Ty Lee asked suddenly, "What was she wearing? The woman who recited poetry?"

"It looked like a kimono, it was dark green and embroidered and trimmed with gold with a white chemise underneath." Katara touched her finger to her chin, "And a really gaudy pink floral headpiece."

"I'll find out who she was." Ty Lee promised, "Think we should tell Zuko?"

Suki looked at Katara, delegating the decision to her.

"Yea, probably." Katara mumbled, "I would have loved it if Sokka had clued me in in detail on why Arnook kept pushing his nephew."

They all straightened, hearing someone knock at the door.

"I'll get it. Katara, you stay sitting until you stop trembling," Ty Lee said, hurriedly standing and trotting across the floor.

"If it's that guard, make up a lie about the screaming and send him to the kitchen to bring us a bottle of fire wine." Suki called after her.

Ty Lee pulled open the door to reveal a worn out looking fire lord. Katara shifted and looked away guiltily, her fingers were still wet from 'interrogation', one she wasn't sure she wanted him to know about. How was it he always brought out the most brutal of her instincts?

His hair was starting to escape the topknot, and wisps of it fell around his face. His good eye had a circle under it that was no longer concealed by meticulously applied powder, and his clothes had wrinkled. The heavy shoulder plates he had been wearing earlier were also gone, which was a bit of a relief.

"No, not a guard, Suki, but I think I could probably get them to fetch us some fire wine, shall I try?" Ty Lee called over her shoulder, leaning against the door frame.

"So . . . I'm a jerk." He mumbled appealingly, "Can I talk to Katara?"

"Just come in and join the party," Ty Lee replied tiredly and leaned back on the door to get out of the way.

"Why is one of my ladies in waiting on the floor?" Zuko rubbed his scarside eye.

"Don't ask." Ty Lee sighed, kindly helping the trembling girl to her feet. Lyire was glaring accusingly at the potential air bender, but accepted her help gracefully, without making a fuss, and allowed herself to be righted.

"Wait, was she the one who saw my mother?"

"Yes . . . It's not just Ursa either, She and her friend, they were talking about you too, about us, and about . . ." Katara tried to put it delicately, though just saying it made her temper spike again, "Seducing you and implanting the noblewoman as the next Fire Lady."

Of all the reactions she had expected, giggling was not one she had considered. She stared at the wearily snorting Fire Lord in disbelief as he covered his face with one of his hands. She had half a mind to tell him about his mother's practical amputation as well, but bit her tongue.

"What are you laughing at?!" Katara yelled from the floor, suddenly frustrated.

"Sorry, 'Tara, you just looked so worried . . . nobody is going to seduce me into handing them the Fire Lady's crown." Zuko glanced at Suki, who waved her arms in a 'go for it' gesture. The Fire Lord nodded and reached out, leaning down to place a soft, reassuring kiss on her cheek.

Katara deepened her scowl, but on the inside, her chest relaxed a bit, and she suppressed a sigh of relief.

"This sounds deep, maybe we should tell Sokka what happened, he loves an excuse to wear his detective monocle." Suki suggested

"I thought we were still mad at Sokka?" Ty Lee asked as she closed the door behind her and Lyire.

"Wait wait wait, forget just Sokka, We're calling a group meeting right away!!" Zuko said firmly, "Where is the guard, we should sweep the grounds near where she was and find out anything she knows about where Ursa is going."

"No! No group meeting." Katara said hurriedly, grabbing Zuko's long sleeve and tugging, "It's classified information, I don't want Aang or Sokka to hear it."

The three of them exchanged glances.

"Okay . . ." They all could hear the frustration in Zuko's voice, "Then. What. Do. You. Propose. We. Do." He seemed to drop some sort of emotional shield, and suddenly he looked very weary and hurt.

"We already sent the guards to sweep the area, they'll probably report back soon, we should have them sweep again with trackers at first light." Suki responded automatically, even though the question wasn't directed at her, "As for where Ursa went . . . Katara?"

"Nothing." Katara confessed, looking away, "But . . . June was with her. I saw it . . . I recognized her out of the corner of Lyire's eye."

Zuko hesitated, but didn't remark on her use of her unethical power. His father was one thing, a relatively innocent servant was another.

"Captain Suki?" One of the guards was hollering from the hall, "We found some strange tracks that you might be interested in."

"Let me go double check what they found . . ." Suki stood and crossed the room, "Zuko, don't let her get up until she stops shaking, see if you can warm her up . . . I'll knock before I come back in." She winked and brushed out of the room.

"The moon is rising." Zuko stated, trying to break the silence, as he put his arms around the still reclining bender and heated his skin, "Tomorrow night, do you think you'll lose-"

Katara swallowed hard and cut him off, "I don't think Ursa likes me much."

"Are the servant's giving gossip to the nobles for money?" Zuko seemed displeased. He sat down next to her and placed his hand over hers. "I will tell the Master Cook to have a word with them, they're all scared of him."

"No, just the way she was talking about me," Katara replied glumly, for some reason, it was very important to her what Zuko's mother thought of her, and she was sad she wouldn't even get to make a first impression. Her reputation had already been slandered, "Like I'm not good enough for you."

"Don't worry, I'm sure that she just has the wrong impression." Zuko reassured her, but looked less than pleased that she was implying that his mother was less than perfect and all loving, "I'm sure she'll love you."

Taking the hint of his hardening tone, Katara dropped the matter. She and Ursa would settle things woman to woman if there were any problems. She had the sinking feeling in her stomach all of a sudden that if push came to shove, Zuko would believe his mother over her.

That did not bode well.

...

...

...

When the color had returned to his lover's face, Zuko had helped her up, (She refused to be carried) and walked her over to her bed. They both had talked back and forth for nearly a candle mark about the new lead they had on Ursa. Best case scenario would be that they could follow her trail to her location. That hardly seemed feasible, the next course of action they could try was looking for June. She was memorable with her whip and her shirshu, and people were always looking for her to hire her.

Suki had come back almost an hour later, and reported that the trail was lost about a mile to the south. They had crossed a river, and the trackers couldn't pick it up again on the opposite bank. They even searched the near bank in case it was a ploy.

"Back to square one." Suki yawned, "They'll have to be vaguely nearby though, probably at a tavern several towns away. The guards ran messengers to the inns in the city, and most of the men are back by now, no reports of the bounty hunter in the capital."

The disappointment permeated the room.

"I'll ask around near Hama's village tomorrow." Katara stated, "On the off chance that Aang and I find them, We can bring them back with us on Appa."

"You're still going?" Zuko sounded as disappointed as he looked.

"I promised him I would," Katara pulled her blankets closer around her, "Plus, I have to have a talk with him . . . straighten some things out."

Zuko immediately brightened.

Suki yawned again, "So, then how about I take Ty Lee south west, and well ask around there, maybe Sokka and Toph can go North, and you can stay here and hold down the fort."

Zuko pressed his lips together, "I don't like the sound of that."

"Have you got a better plan?"

"No," he confessed, pulling his topknot out and finger combing his hair.

Suki had excused herself, saying that she was going to go bunk with Ty Lee, and to call her if they needed anything. Katara didn't ask about Sokka, apparently Suki was shunning sharing a bed with him that particular night. They sat in silence for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts and fears, until Zuko finally broke the mounting tension.

"You know, this used to be my room." He gave her a small, mischievous smile that would have made Toph proud.

"I had heard as much." Katara smiled back, shivering in the moonlight. A movement entirely unrelated to the cool, end of summer air.

"Yes, and this bed, used to be mine." He leaned in closer to whisper it, and his hot breath danced across her ear.

"You're pervy, you know that?" Katara told him good naturedly, "How long have you been fantasizing about taking me in your childhood room?!"

"I'm a pervert?" his lips found her neck and his chest pressed against hers, a silent suggestion that she should lay back. Katara was all too happy to comply. "How long have you been fantasizing about falling madly into one of those soft piles of fur with me that I hear is so popular in the far south?" He deliberately did not mention Mai or their escapades, and was rather proud of himself for not putting his foot in his mouth so completely.

"You would melt the igloo." She told him flatly as his hands ran up her bare sides, "They don't stand up well to lightening."

Zuko paused at that, and she could see his good ear redden. He lipped her and abruptly drew back, and she whimpered a soft protest and grabbed for him, her fingers closing on his collar.

"You can't stop, Suki ordered you to warm me up!" She pulled him back down over her, her thumb and fore finger cupping his chin but keeping his lips just barely out of reach of her own.

"I'm not a Kyoshi Warrior." Zuko pulled her fingers from his jaw and began kissing them one by one, then pressed his tongue into her palm, running it across her skin in softly tickling circles.

"You could be, I've got the uniform in my trunk. Sokka's done it."

"With the make up!?" As he spoke, his lips moved from her palm to her wrist, and he delicately nuzzled the veins there.

"Of course, the make up is the hottest part!" The corner of the fire lord's nose and mouth rose in horror from where they were pressed to her flesh. She could tell he was imagining it, and he quickly grabbed the covers and hauled them over the both of their heads. The tent created where the cloth draped over his head quickly warmed to an almost uncomfortable degree.

Laughing in something between relief and amusement, Katara wound her legs around the Fire Lord's waist, delighting in the sudden, pleasant sensation of his weight on top of her. Being so close and enclosed, however, changed the mood entirely. She watched his eyes change from playful to intense, and he lowered his mouth to hers, the same rough, desperate kiss she remembered from under the full moon in the swamp a few weeks earlier. Somehow, though he was draped and tied with more fabric than she wanted to think about, (mainly because she would have to figure out how to get it off him) his body contoured into hers so completely that it sent her fingers crawling to the knots of his belt.

It was clear from his near frantic attentions to her mouth that the day had taken it's toll on him emotionally. Her motherly instincts kicked in, and she wanted to touch him, to console him, to make him feel better. To her surprise, his fingers caught hers mid untying and wrapped them back around him in an embrace.

"Zuko . . ." she murmured as he pulled away from the kiss and pressed his nose into her hair, his scar rough against his cheek. His hands roamed over her, then pressed underneath her, settling between her shoulder blades and the small of her back.

"She came to the palace, 'Tara," His grip on her increased, forcing her to shallow breaths. Katara wished for an instant that she hadn't healed him quite so thoroughly, "She doesn't want to see me! Do you think she hates me?"

"No, no!" She reassured him, "I don't know why she did what she did, but I promise, I'll get you a chance to ask."

He looked up, his golden eyes pinning her blue ones, "Do you promise?" Katara ran her thumb over his swollen bottom lip, mesmerized by it as it moved around his words. Even in the soberness of the moment, suddenly all she could think about was him using it on her.

"I swear," She promised after a seconds hesitation.

Even with the pause, he seemed placated, and leaned down again to kiss her severely. The grip of Katara's knees around him tightened, and she moaned softly against his lips. Encouraged by her eager sighs, Zuko ground his hips against hers, his length pressing tantalizingly into her thigh. Usually she was the aggressor in bed, so to speak, but his emotions were burning so heatedly, that it seemed a waste to try to douse them.

Opening her shirt and tugging loose her bindings, in a fluid motion, he lowered his head to taste her. As he moved, the cloth tent around them collapsed with him, and suddenly he was lost from her vision. She felt his fingers trace up her thigh to cup her through the fabric of her pants, and she reached down and grabbed the waistband, and this time, no fingers laced with hers to stop her.

...

...

...

"Yes, she did have long brown hair, not sure about the gold eyes though, I didn't really look as she was beating us to a pulp." The fat older man told Ursa as he drained the tankard she had bought him. It seemed to her it was far too early in the morning to be drinking, but June and this crippled bandit did not seem to care.

They had ran into him on the edge of town, where he was hobbling along on a stick, Nyla had smelled the princess on him, so they had tried to question him. Unfortunately, the man was a shrewed businessman, and refused to tell them anything until they had fed him and bought him a night at the local in. Plus, of course they also had to give him a ride there on the Ostrich Horse.

"What village was it then?" Ursa offered him a plate filled with rolls from the baking the innkeeper's cooks had done that morning. With sausagelike fingers, he grabbed four and stuffed them in his mouth.

"Mhhhnmmmf hhfnnnfmmm jfjmm"

"Pardon?"

Swallowing, the man repeated himself, "Next one over, Pyre on the Water it's called, good place to pick up some unfairly traded goods cheap, if you know what I mean." He grinned, showing off all four of his blackened teeth.

"He means it's a smuggler's den," June explained before Ursa could display her innocence by asking what it meant.

"Is that a safe place for young ladies?!" Ursa seemed alarmed, "Azula isn't traveling alone."

"Ain't no ladies in Pyre, only whores and vipers." The man leaned in to June, who looked disgusted, "You'd be a viper." He looked at Ursa, "You'd be a whore."

June grabbed his beard and hissed into his face, "Listen here old man, you don't call my client a whore or I'll finish what the bounty started and break your other foot!" Her heel smashed down on his toes to make a point and the man howled and nodded quickly.

"June, Please." Ursa called her off, putting her hand on her shoulder and using her persuasive voice, "Don't be mad at him."

The bounty hunter grumbled something and then let him go.

"Do you think that she would still be there?" Ursa asked hopefully.

"Bet you twenty gold yes, they're prolly waiting to jump a ship to the earth kingdom, that's the only reason to go to Pyre on the Water, 'nfortunately, most o the Pirates are up north, lots of aristocrats ferrying out of the capital for some weddin' 'rr somthin, easy pickens." As he spoke several trickles of ale dribbled from his chin and clotted in his beard.

"So, there you go." June said, "Can I dispose of him now?"

"Oi! Bounty hunter, I got a joke fer ya, who was at fault when the man accidentally trampled his wife with an ostrich horse?" They had lost count of how many the man had had, but they were quite positive that he was drunk.

"What-"

"Don't encourage him." June interrupted.

"He was, because what the hell was he doin riding an Ostrich horse in the kitchen!!" The man chortled and drained his mug.

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**There was going to be more but then I read something as Jessie McCartney cast as Zuko, and all the wind just went out of my Midsummer sails . . . I mean . . . duuude . . . . . no . . . . wtf . . . so, I need to go look as some hot Zuko fanart to rekindle my fire . . . .**

**::sigh::**

**Has M. Night jerkoff taken it upon himself to personally kill my dreams? I think yesssss.**

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**Ok, so on a slightly less fugly Caucasian note, I'm going to be starting editing and posting this on DA, so if you have any constructive criticism, the more specific the better, now would be a good time to give it.**


	27. Chapter 27: The Confession

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: R

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** You know what I own? Nothing. Good guess!

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**Chapter 27: The Confession  
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"Aang, it's five o'clock in the morning!" Ty Lee trudged behind him, still clad in her pajamas, "I literally went to bed forty minutes ago!!"

"Did you?" Aang asked, a small plume of fire in his hands, lighting the way, his aura was yellow with excitement, "Sorry. What were you doing up so late?"

"Oh, you know, eating fruit tarts and gossiping about dresses with Katara and Suki. Then I helped a servant back to her quarters and the ungrateful crab gave me a smack," Ty Lee pointed to her still red cheek and then yawned widely, "And Suki is going to want to train in four hours . . . So why the early morning house call?" She hadn't even moved to the hangover stage, she was still tipsy.

Aang had banged on her door with such excitement that she had thought that they were somehow under attack and sprung into action. When she flung the door open, ready to jab any marauding zombies or insane princesses, instead she was grabbed by the tiny monk and hauled off down the corridor.

"I was sleeping." Aang told her, "Then I woke up, the winds were perfect, I thought that maybe we could give the air bending a try, have you been practicing the breathing I showed you last time?"

"Yea." _No._

Honestly, she had been PLANNING to, she just never seemed to have the time between doing Suki's drills, being Sokka and Zuko's life coach, and making sure Katara's sex schedule ran smoothly. Ran being the operative word.

Following him out into the courtyard, she squinted in the hazy light the sliver of moon provided. Aang transferred the flame from his palm to one of the lamps that circled the area, and sat down, his legs crossed.

Ty Lee followed suit, quite sure she would fall asleep mid meditation.

"It helps to imagine the winds as lines." Aang launched into his lecture without preamble, "Or threads. You can string them to one another and wrap them around you like your winding yarn around your hand. It's constantly moving and changing, so we too must always be moving and changing . . ."

Ty Lee felt her head rocking forward, and strained her eyes open even more to compensate. Aangs words drifted in one ear and out the other, and she found herself beginning to snooze.

"Ty Lee?"

Her name jarred her back to wakefulness.

"What was that last thing again?" She muttered quickly, looking attentive.

"Are you ready to try?"

"Oh, umm. Yes!"

"Ok, so, any amount of air you can move is a start." Aang sat back, smiling.

Ty Lee looked around, still having no clue how to do it, "Umm . . ."

"Start with your breath, it's the most basic, intuitive form of air bending." Aang advised.

So Ty Lee inhaled deeply, then exhaled again, her lips fluttering as the air passed them. She reached out, looking for threads, or yarn, or whatever Aang had been talking about, but the air felt the same as it always did.

"No no, you're not going to actually feel it," Aang was a lot more patient with her than Suki or her Academy teachers had been. Perhaps a year of studying with Toph and Zuko had made him a lot more sensitive to what a student went through.

"So then why did you tell me to look for it?" Ty Lee couldn't help the sleep deprived frustration in her voice.

"It's a metaphor." Aang told her, "Just imagine it, like, when you jump, how do you jump so far? Think back to when you started."

Ty Lee rocked back on her hips, chewing on her lower lip, "Well, we had this elective, at the Royal Academy for girls, it was called Affirmations, Projecting, and Meditation, the Power of Mind Over Matter. I remember my professor said that if we will things to happen, that they have a greater chance of happening if we don't."

Aang nodded.

"Then my Professor of Physics was talking about something, I don't remember, something about bird's wings creating low pressure pockets because air took longer to get over them than under them. So, I started thinking like, this void would open up in the air in front of me would separate, and the void would suck me in, and the air would woosh around me and close behind me and push me forward even more . . ." Ty Lee scratched her cheek, "It helped too, I started tripling my jump distances . . . Are you saying that was air bending?"

"Well, I guess a primitive form of it," Aang looked thoughtful, "So, maybe we should start with what you're familiar with, creating pressure instead of creating breezes."

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"'Tara, it's nearly dawn. You should wake up," In her half sleep, she felt him lean over her and press his lips to her ear as he spoke, "I'm going to go now, okay?"

That rocketed her awake, "Stay a little longer!" She laced her fingers into the rumpled sleeve of the robe he had been wearing the previous night, and pulled hard enough to overbalance him and make him fall onto the bed next to her. Good naturedly, he got comfortable on the bed next to her, but to her dismay, not too comfortable. The lamps were burning, but the hint of the false dawn was starting to appear, hazy in the fog across the ocean. Katara figured she had gotten about two delicious hours of sleep curled against her lover.

Spirits she missed the swamp.

"You have to get up and get ready. Aang will probably want to leave soon." He reminded her, but slipped his free hand below the covers and ran his fingertips across her exposed stomach, gently drawing teasing circles with his nails until she got goose bumps.

"You're not exactly making getting out of bed look appealing." She informed him dryly, sitting up and stretching, "Don't you have a walk of shame to take?"

Zuko watched her bare torso twist and lengthen as she raised her arms up above her head, yawning.

"Maybe I could stay a _little_ longer." He muttered after finding his voice again, his hand reaching up to caress the underside of her breast.

Katara smiled and drew him in for a leisurely kiss. Her lips still felt positively bruised from the previous night's . . . well, technically morning's . . . activities. He sighed softly into her mouth, and whimpered when she slid her legs out from under the covers.

Smiling mischievously, she sauntered across the room, swaying her bare hips back and forth. She paused at the doorframe of the wash room and twisted back around, curling her finger into a 'come hither' motion, and then disappeared through the doorframe. Zuko was quick to oblige, he scrambled off the bed, slightly less than graceful than usual in his haste, and trotted across the room after her.

The lamps remained unlit in the separate room, but with a flick of his wrist, he ignited them and sent light dancing into all the corners of the small gold room.

Katara had already bent the water from the basin, and the water caught the firelight, flickering back gold and red. It writhed around her body like a snake, coiling across her skin as it moistened it. His breath caught in his throat as he stood mesmerized. He had never thought watching her bathe could be so erotic, but something about her in her own element, whisking away the sweat that they had worked up together made his blood start to boil.

"Come on Zuko," She called, her back turned, the water snaking around her, "What are you waiting for? I need someone to heat up my water, and I think you might be able to help . . ."

What was he waiting for? That was a good question.

Hastily, he tugged at his belt and pulled his robes open, sliding them off his shoulders and letting them pool on the floor around his feet. Next, he grabbed for the loose fitting silk pants, undid their drawstring, and stepped out of both them and his boots at once.

Katara watched him disrobe, a faint smile tugging at her mouth as she let her eyes wander over his figure. They lingered on his chest, his scar in particular, seeing it always made her feel a twinge of guilt. She always had held herself the entire cause and there fore partially responsible for it.

The Fire Lord hardly seemed concerned with it, his mouth clamped down on the long since memorized sensitive areas of her neck, and Katara had to struggle to keep her hold on the water she was bending. Tilting her chin up, she sighed his name softly, and heard him answer, his voice muffled against her rapidly heating skin. The light caresses of his mouth were encouraging the familiar knot of warmth to once again start coiling in her lower abdomen.

Firm, calloused hands crept up her stomach to rub teasing circles across her breasts, and Katara arced her back, pressing her ribcage forward into his palms. Gently with his fingertips he guided her a step this way and that, but it wasn't until her shoulders met the smooth tile of the wall behind her that she noticed that she was being maneuvered.

The problem was, Katara realized, that she could either keep holding her water or touch him back, but not both simultaneously. Without regret she loosened her will on the liquid, and it pattered to the decorated floor in a soft rain. Hands liberated from their obligations, Katara's fingers were free to explore.

Her quiet mewling and the whispered repetition of his name were driving Zuko crazy. He was quite convinced that when it came to his body and his attention, she was insatiable, and that made him feel proud beyond words. He still wasn't used to it though, so accustomed to rejection, he always felt nervous that she would touch his scar and flinch or suddenly, inexplicably become distant. It was as though he was riding on a pendulum and had suddenly swung from one extreme to the other, and was now scared of swinging back again. He tried to make it up to her though, to remind her of all the pleasure he could inspire and all he had to offer.

He pressed his body flush to her's, letting her feel every inch of him, telling her wordlessly how much he wanted her. She rose to meet him, pressing back and pulling his head down to within reach of her lips. He ground against her, his hips bucking almost on their own accord.

Seeing Aang kiss her had shaken him, but it hadn't taken him long to see that he had things to offer the water bender that the young Avatar did not. He had a welcoming bed, (Not that he didn't think that the monk would grow up into being a fine lover . . . some day . . . with someone who was NOT Katara) he never judged her, he accepted her flaws and loved her because of them, not in spite of them.

Vaguely, through a haze of lust, he felt his name muttered again against his lips followed by a string of nonsensical begging. Reaching down to cup her, his fingers parted her folds and leisurely teased her. The room heated as he did, and it wasn't long before they here both sweating in the artificial humidity of the steaming water.

"Zuko . . . please . . . Ah!. . . please . . . more"

Lifting one of her knees up over his elbow, he planted his palm firmly against the wall and thrust into her. She whined, and dug her nails into his back, partly in delirium, partly to steady herself in the new, strange balance between them. Finding their rhythm together had always been second nature, and it wasn't long before they both moved to their own shared tempo. Although she was no Ty Lee, Katara surprised him with her flexibility. She startled him thoroughly when unexpectedly after one of his harsher thrusts, she threw back her head and screamed.

"'Tara, are you-"

"Don't stop! Right there!! Again, right there!" Her arms flew up, and her fingers groped uselessly across the tile above her head for something to give her leverage. Finding none, she pressed one of her wrists to her mouth and bit down, stifling her own cries. Holding her steadily, Zuko shifted and resumed their earlier pace, following her vague orders to the best of his ability, it was not easy with her writhing around so alluringly.

At last, to gain more control over her, he wound her legs around his waist and used his sheer muscle strength to keep her back pressed into the wall. He was taken aback that she let him so easily, that she trusted him to hold her up. It was by far the most physically demanding feat he had tried to perform since he had taken the bolt for her, but he hardly felt hindered, the sexual energy building up between them giving his muscles a stamina he thought they no longer possessed.

Finally, after a crescendo of fluttering muscles and not entirely unpleasant electrical shocks, the two collapsed slowly to the floor in a tangle of limbs, gasping for breath.

Brushing his sweat plastered bangs from his forehead, Katara leaned in to nuzzle the Fire Bender's scar, her hand stroking across his chest affectionately. She smiled at him from where she propped her head on her palm, and he returned it before letting his eyes sink closed, focusing only on her hand on his chest. After a moment, he felt her lower her head to his shoulder where she stayed for several minutes as they recovered together.

"Do you love me?"

Katara was taken aback by the question, it was not that it was ungrounded, they had just made love for the better part of the night after all. It was, however, completely unexpected, and the water bender was not sure she had an answer.

"I don't know . . ." Katara chewed her lower lip, "I'm not sure . . . I really like you . . ."

Zuko smiled and gave a soft snort as though it made him think of a private joke, his eyes still closed.

"I really like you too." He replied, "and I don't want to have to keep it a secret anymore."

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It was nice to be on Appa again, the wind blowing through her hair and the gulls crying as they struggled to get out of his way. Katara rested her head on the huge pommel of the saddle and napped, Momo curled up on her stomach, fast asleep as well. Soon after the Fire Lord had left through a convenient secret passage, no less, her exhaustion had caught up with her, as did the twinges in her lower abdomen that painfully reminded her of the imminent new moon.

Before she had left, she had made Toph promise to beat up anyone that tried to flirt with the Fire Lord, especially anyone who was earth kingdom. The blind bandit was only happy to oblige, she didn't even ask why. She probably didn't care, a pounding was a pounding.

The clouds were filling out and darkening, and she could smell rain on the wind. She was going to have to tell Aang. She had promised to drop the charade.

Momo nuzzled her, and she wondered if she was being selfish protecting him, or if it would be more selfish to relieve her guilt by hurting him. Aang had always seemed to advocate the truth and to be invested in forgiveness. Love, however, has a way of making all of ones high and mighty moral values fly out the window. She knew she had to tell him, but the old instincts to protect him did not die easily, and she began to lose her nerve.

"Aang?" Turning over and yawning, Katara crossed her arms over the pommel of the saddle and studied him.

"Yea Katara?" Aang turned and grinned, "Isn't this great? Just like old times!!"

"It's really great," Katara said without enthusiasm, then pressed on, "Can we talk?"

"This is the way to Hama's Village, right?" Aang leaned over and looked at the sprawling Aegean, "I think it's the way . . ."

"It is, Aang, we need to talk!!" It was hard to yell over the rushing wind.

"What was that?" Aang was playing dumb, she could tell, "You need a break?"

"No! Come on, stop fooling around!"

Aang nodded and slowed Appa's speed so that they didn't have to yell over the whipping wind. With a twirl and a leap, he helicoptered himself into the air, only to land a few feet from her on the saddle.

"What do you want to talk about?" Aang pivoted on his butt so he sat facing her. So he had heard her after all.

"I wanted to talk about Zuko." Katara looked off to the side, this was not easy.

"Yea? What about him?" Aang asked his eyes becoming both suspicious and nervous. He looked so very small sitting up there, and Katara felt her resolve crumbling. Of course he was apprehensive, he had been on edge ever since hearing about their kiss under the mountain, it wasn't like he had any reason to be though . . . she wasn't cheating on him. How could you cheat on someone you weren't dating?

He was fooling himself if he thought they were going to get back together after 'she worked out some private problems'. He was deluding himself if he thought that she still loved him.

Maybe she never had.

The new emotions were confusing and hard to read, lust, love, friendship, hate, loyalty, they seemed to bleed into each other like the colors on one of Sokka's less successful ink paintings. It was hard to pick out where one ended and another began, and Katara wondered if this was do to her inexperience and immaturity.

"Well . . . you know . . . I . . ."

"I know you guys are friends now, it's great! Remember when you hated him so much?" Aang looked pleased, but his eyes were still uncertain.

Katara dug her fingers into her hair, better just to spit it out, "We're . . . we're . . . together now Aang."

For an instant, he froze, his eyes swelling up with tears, then she was alone on Appa before she had time to even blink. Momo jumped from her stomach to her head, then to the rim of the saddle where he chattered angrily at her before jumping off, following his friend. Katara rushed to the edge, seeing the silhouette of a glider spiraling off several hundred feet below. Appa groaned and started to follow Aang as well.

"AAAAANG!!" Katara yelled, worried, "AANG COME BACK!! Ugh!! Why does he always run away?!"

After checking the boy's course to make sure he was not Avatar Stateing it back to the palace to bring down divine retribution on the unsuspecting Fire Lord, Katara crawled up onto the bison's head and took hold of the reigns, steering him back to his original course.

"Aang will come back in an hour or two after he's cooled off," She reassured the beast, "It's better if we're where he knows to look for us instead of trying to chase him all over the Fire Nation."

She had to stay glued to his horns, as every moment she relaxed the tension, the bison tried to turn in the air. Katara was starting to fear that he would get mad and throw her off to chase his master if she kept forcing him the way she was, but Aang had put so much distance between them by then that the creature would get himself lost looking for the boy.

"Aang knows we're going to Hama's inn, he won't leave me to face Hama alone." Katara crossed her fingers and hoped blindly to the spirits it was true. A fairy moon would be rising that night, and as it rose, so would she plunge.

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"Oh great, not another odd beastie." One of the stable hands grumbled as he took Appa's reigns from Katara. She paid him no mind other than to tuck a coin into his palm for his trouble. The place was eerily memorable, and reminded her too much of the traumatizing blood bending lesson for her to want to stay long. She quickly made her way inside, looking around for the innkeeper or someone who could help her.

"Oh, hello there young mistress, what can I help you with?" The man behind the bar smiled warmly as he dried mugs with an old rag.

"Yes," Katara shrugged it off, "I'm looking for Hama. Is she in the town jail still?"

"No Master Water bender, we haven't seen Hama for . . . hmm, long time. She broke out the next full moon after we caught her, but, we haven't seen her since. I hear tell she is livin' in the mountains, or she was . . . some locals heard screamin so they went to check the caves, there was a bunch of blood everywhere, and . . . fingernails. They found this spiral snake scrawled on the wall in blood, none o' us knew what it meant though. Prolly just something an insane old lady does." The innkeeper scratched his chin his fingers dislodging crumbs of bread in his stubble and Katara tried not to make a face. "You know, you're the second person in two days to ask about her."

"Really?" The waterbender handed him several coins to lubricate the conversation, "So, you think she has gone far?"

"No, she is right over there . . . in fact, right next to that June girl the one arm wrestling that man, see em there by the fire?" The innkeeper gestured at the two women.

"Oh, no, I meant Hama, has Hama gone . . . . ." Katara trailed off, as she spoke, June had caught sight of her, let go of her opponent's fist, and patted her companion on the arm.

The young water bender knew her instantly, the woman's face burned into her mind from when she read Ozai's. Her hair was streaked with white, her face was lightly wrinkled and sad, and she was a bit thinner than she had been. She wore no makeup or crown, her hair was shorter, and her cloths were dull and worn. Nevertheless, there was no question.

Her purse and water skins fell from her fingertips as she stared dumbly at the Fire Lady.

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Ursa blinked and then leaned into her companion, "June, why is that strange girl staring at me?"

"That . . . " June told her smugly, her voice oozing satisfaction, "Would be you're son's girlfriend, the Master Water Bender Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

"Oh." Ursa seemed at a complete loss for words, "She's . . . She's taller than I thought she would be."

The innkeeper had stooped and began picking up Katara's things, muttering about how she should be more careful, that she could lose her possessions if she dropped them too often.

"Oi! Katara!" June waved her over, from across the room "Come here! I got someone for you to meet!!!"

"Don't call her over!! I don't want to meet her!" Ursa hissed, "What's she doing here?!" She was pleased in a way, to get a look at the girl, but this wasn't exactly the way she had planned it. She had planned to be on her throne and Katara pleading for her blessing and permission to woo her son . . . something more along those lines.

The water bender's traitorous feet seemed to understand June's words before her brain, and she numbly shuffled across the dining room to the hearth, never taking her eyes off Ursa. She was half afraid the woman would vanish like the morning mist if she blinked.

"Lady Ursa, this is Katara, Hey Katara, it's been a while since the end of the world, four months, right? How's your boyfriend?" June grinned and gestured with her lips for her to sit.

"Five, actually. And he's not my . . . er . . . he's good, he's been busy." Katara finally found her voice and sank down in the offered seat, "You're . . . you're Zuko's mother! We have been looking everywhere for you!!"

"Shh, keep it down about that. There might be Ozai supporters in the crowd." Ursa told her, "And you . . . you're Princess Katara, I have heard a lot about you."

Katara ignored her and plowed forward in her excitement and relief, "We interrogated your husband, we got captured, we got lost in caves, we ran all over the Earth Kingdom, where were you?! What are you doing here?"

"We're leaving, we're heading to the coast." Ursa replied vaguely and studied her nails, "What are you doing here?"

"I was trying to find Hama, but I guess she isn't around anymore." Katara saw June's perplexed expression and continued, "She is one of my water bending Sifus."

"She's been missing a while, how'd you know she wanted to see you?" The bounty hunter took a drag from her drink.

"Oh . . ." Katara dug in her pack, "I got this. . ." she held out the blood scrawled symbol to the two ladies, "I got it from a woman who said she was a 'Siren'. I think it's from Hama. It couldn't be from anyone else . . ." The water bender was careful not to mention that she knew Ursa was a member of the order too, it just seemed like the kind of information that could get a stupid girl in trouble, and Katara was not a stupid girl.

"See!" June elbowed Ursa smugly, "All that fretting and she is as clean as a bone, at least for now. I'm surprised they're recruiting so young, she's just a child after all."

"I'm fifteen!" Katara argued.

"Begging your pardon ladies, your steeds are all tacked up and ready to go." The stable boy bowed, "Er, bounty hunter, You're shirshu's venom . . ."

"It'll wear off in an hour or two." June waved her hand in a dismissing way.

"I'm sorry we could not get better acquainted, Princess Katara, but, I'm afraid I am on urgent business." Ursa stood and smoothed the wrinkles out of her worn dress regally.

"No, wait, no, you can't go so soon!! When will you be back? Where are you going? Why haven't you contacted Zuko? Why did you leave the night that you m- said goodbye to Zuko?" Katara followed the woman, ignoring June's amused laughter.

Ursa ignored the questions. The girl had every right to ask them, but she wasn't about to fill her in on all the sordid details of her life. The girl looked pretty bright, she might find a loophole and tell Zuko even if she commanded her not to. Nothing was foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

On the other hand, Katara had already subdued her daughter once without hurting her. She could do it again. That would make everything a lot easier. Ursa swallowed her initial dislike and made a fast decision.

"Look." Ursa turned on the girl when they reached the courtyard, "I can't talk about it now, but, you may join me if you like, I'm riding for Pyre on the Water. I'll answer your questions on the way."

"We are," June corrected.

Two boys held their mounts, the one holding Nyla kept having to dodge her tongue. The shirshu seemed amused by the newly invented game of catch the stable boy.

"No." Ursa said firmly, and drew a pouch of money out of her sleeve, tossing it to the bounty hunter, "I am. You will ride for the Palace like we discussed, remember? Do you have a mount Katara?"

"No . . . but . . . " Katara looked back and forth, not quite understanding what was going on between the two women. There was tension between them like there was between her and Toph, but they genuinely seemed friendly with each other. They also obviously were hiding something from her.

Ursa swung up on her ostrich horse and offered her her hand.

"Climb on. But what?" Again, Katara stared at the Fire Lady, but obediently took her hand, compelled by her voice, it was actually damn frightening in person. Ursa's talent seemed so convenient to her until she actually had to suffer it.

"But I'm sort of waiting for someone here." Katara confessed, "I'm waiting for Aang. I came here on his bison and he was going to catch up later . . . I hope."

"You, little boy!" Ursa pulled her reigns from the stable boy's grasp, "Inform the innkeeper that when Avatar Aang arrives, he is to tell him to follow us to Pyre on the Water. Don't forget."

"So, why are we going to this place anyway?" Katara asked, trying to find a place to hold on to the Fire Lady that didn't actually involve touching her.

"You'll See, Master Waterbender."

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**Ok, so, it's really hard to type erotica with your uncle's cat sitting on the couch next to you . . . watching you . . . purring. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he ships Zutara.**

**Freakin Cats.**

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**Ok, so, I have started posting up the chapters on DA. Even if you have already read my fic, you might find it worth checking out as DA allows you to put up images with it . . .**

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**So, Read and Review. I love Reviews**


	28. Chapter 28: The Pyre

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: I give this fic a 10/10.

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** It seems a bit silly, I mean, come on, like I've bought the rights to Avatar over the Christmas break with my bonus or something . . . I don't claim it, I don't own it. It belongs to Nick and Bryke, freakin anti-zutara geniuses.

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**Chapter 28: The Pyre**

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Ty Lee sat cross legged on the floor of her room, her hands holding up her chin. Across from her, propped up on her desk, was one of Aang's extra staffs. It was official. Aang had confirmed it. She was an air bender.

It was strangely elating and incredibly terrifying all at the same time. She remembered watching jealously as Azula and Zuko went off to bending practice when she was little. It had seemed so unfair. Now to suddenly be told she COULD in fact bend, albeit a different element, was like a dream come true, and she was still a bit in shock.

_Air is better than fire anyways_! She thought, _No burn scars_, _flying, I'm not shaving my hair or getting tattoos though, Aang can let that dream die . . ._

They had spent a good hour before dawn practicing together until Ty Lee started to get the hang of doing it consciously. Then Aang had sat her down and talked about winds for longer than Ty Lee had thought it was possible. Apparently there were pockets, and turbulence, and low pressure, and headwinds, and tailwinds, and drafts, and hot air rose, and cool air sunk, and clouds were white and wet . . . Ty Lee was pretty sure she had dosed off with her eyes open somewhere along the way.

Finally, Aang had insisted that she take one of his backup staffs. He said he wanted her to 'get the feel of it'. Ty Lee had a feeling that that meant she was supposed to tinker with it a bit, maybe try to fly. After all, she had been doing it without a glider for years. Rotating her weight onto one hip, she reached out a toe and poked the stick. It overbalanced and clattered to the floor.

Shrugging, Ty Lee scooped it up and examined it. It was supposed to have some sort of slammy-catch that made the sails spring out, but after ten minutes of searching, she found no such apparatus.

Sitting down with a thump, then blowing her bangs out of her face with a frustrated snort, she tried to remember how Aang used to open the stupid stick. Usually he would tap the bottom against the ground.

_Easy enough._

-tap-

Nothing.

-tap- -tap-

Nothing.

-TAP- -TAP- -**TAP**-

Still nothing.

Ty Lee chewed on her lip. If a twelve year old monk could handle a staff better than her, there were definitely problems.

In a moment of insight, Ty Lee flipped the staff over and then tapped the other end against the ground smartly. The blue sails sprung out, nearly taking her fingers with them.

_Painful Success!_

She hollered and dropped the damned thing again, jamming the abused digits into her mouth and smoldered. Looking on the bright side, at least she had gotten the snappy-thing and the catchy-thing to unlock and release the wing-things for flying-making.

Picking the whole contraption up, she padded out to the balcony.

_Ok, now where did Aang hold on again?_

...

...

...

Katara sighed to herself as the Ostrich Horse plodded along. She had the distinct impression that Ursa didn't like her. It was totally unfair! She had done nothing but date her son, was that so bad? Apparently.

"So how did you and Zuko meet?"

It was the first thing Ursa had asked her during their ride together, and surprisingly, the older woman's voice held only curiosity.

"He kind of . . . attacked my village and umm . . . took my grandmother hostage." Katara admitted, "Then he chased us from the south pole to the north pole."

"Mmm." If Ursa was disappointed in her son's behavior, she didn't show it, "Sounds exciting."

"I guess,"

"Would you marry my son?"

"What?" Katara looked up, alarmed, "I don't know who I am going to marry!"

"No, not 'are you', I mean, would you, if he proposed, would you say yes?"

Katara looked away and shrugged

"I want you to have something." Ursa must have seen something in her response that Katara had not meant her to because she fished in her pocket and pulled out a small pouch, "My mother gave this to me, and I would like my eldest granddaughter to have them. Give them to her when she is old enough. It will bring her luck." The last part was distinctly an order. Katara was to give them to the girl in question whether or not she happened to be her mother. Katara didn't like the way Ursa was talking. Like she was putting all her affairs in order and planned to vanish again.

"Why not give them to Azula?" Katara asked, taking the pouch and opening it to reveal a string of pearls and things that looked like they could have been scales. The whole mass was so covered with dried algae and old barnacles that it was impossible to tell the age or value. Whatever they were, they had no business being on the surface world, they looked completely foreign, as though they belonged at the bottom of the ocean.

The older woman sighed and shifted back to watch the road, ignoring Katara's question. "You know, if you do marry him, and don't join the order, they may kill you if they see you as a threat to their plans. Kill you and put someone else on the throne."

"They're already trying to." Katara said, holding the tattered jewelry up to the light. Between the plant life, it shimmered translucent in the morning light, and Katara got the distinct impression that it was nothing of the four nations.

"How do you know so much about them?" Katara asked coyly.

Ursa laughed, a dry, hollow laugh, "You may be naive, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, but you're not stupid." Ursa turned and glanced over her shoulder, "Don't get too excited though, I have yet to decide whether that is a good or a bad thing." When Katara said nothing in response, the older woman continued, "I'm a member."

"What were you supposed to do as Fire Lady?" Katara couldn't resist.

"That's rather bold of you to ask." When the water bender showed no signs of backing down, Ursa continued, "You will never speak of this or write of this or communicate any of this to any other living or dead person. This information will exist only in your mind. Understood?"

"Yes." Katara felt the command, and her stomach sank. Zuko had a right to know, but perhaps Ursa wanted to tell him herself.

"My orders changed over the years, at first, they were to put Ozai on the throne. The Sirens thought at the time he was preferable over Iroh because he was stupid, Iroh was not, he was smart and ruthless, a bad combination, better stupid and ruthless, stupid men are easy to control. They thought I could manipulate him easily, and basically pull the strings behind him and effectively rule the nation. I was to end the war if I could. Then, after the death of Iroh's son, I was told to suspend action. We wanted to see if the experience would change him. There were rumblings that the loss of the thing he loved most had altered his perception of what was important."

Ursa paused, looking around, they had entered a patch of thick vegetation, and their mount shifted under them uncomfortably.

"Obviously, I was under strict orders from the Sirens to produce heirs. Unfortunately, Azulon, he and Ozai got into a fight, and he, the crazy old bat, ordered Ozai to kill Zuko, he wanted him to understand the pain of losing a son. Iroh always was his favorite. I had orders to keep myself in Ozai's bed and suspend him from the throne, but I also had orders to protect my son. I made a judgment call, I protected my son. I was punished for my mistake, that's what they call it anyways, a mistake, but I would do it again."

"Was Iroh really that bad when he was younger?"

"My opinion is biased, I was quite smitten with him as a young woman. I didn't see him as cruel, I saw him as confident."

"Really?" Katara tried to picture Iroh and Ursa as younger and in love. She remembered the glances Ursa would cast the man, Ozai had noticed and remembered them all and it fed his hatred and rage.

"He was already married at the time anyways, and very much in love, he even spurned the royal harem, it was a one sided crush, it always had been." Ursa closed her mouth and looked away, giving the distinct impression that she was not going to talk of the matter further.

"So, why not go and see Zuko?" Katara hazarded, "He really wants to see you."

A long pause.

"Fire Lady Ursa?"

Another pause.

"Punishment for my mistake, I cannot seek him out." The woman finally admitted, "I am too ashamed anyway. He always thought of me as a saint, the goodness to Ozai's cruelty. In reality, I am more of a monster than he is."

"Nobody is more of a monster than Ozai." Katara spat, then remembered, he WAS her husband, "I mean . . . he . . . umm . . ."

"Don't bother. I understand what you meant."

They lapsed into silence again, watching the woods inch past. The sun dappled through the branches and hit the ground in a very attractive way, and it would have been a pleasant ride had Ursa not been craning her head this way and that, anxiously.

"What's the problem?" Katara finally asked.

"We're being followed."

Katara now turned and glanced anxiously at the foliage and fingered the dagger strapped to her leg. Mentally, she cursed Aang for abandoning her, but she had the feeling that cold though she was, Ursa would not let anything happen to her son's girlfriend.

It didn't take long, they had just rounded a blind curve in the small wagon road and came face to face with two mercenary types. Ursa reigned the ostrich horse around the way they had come and kicked, but a third stepped out behind them and grabbed the bridle.

"Well now, what are two unarmed women doing heading into a place like this?" The largest and stupidest, therefore apparently the leader chuckled.

"Who says we're unarmed?!" Katara never really had to try to sound menacing, it came naturally, "Get out of our way or we'll take you down."

"Yea? You and what army?"

"Let me handle this." Ursa told her, in such a similar way that her own mother had the day she died that Katara found herself nodding numbly.

Swinging her leg over the Ostrich Horse's head, the woman slid down, giving the leader a dazzling smile. Even with her hair mussed and her cloths dirty, even at that age, the expert smile still worked, and the man's lips twitched in a nasty reply. With the ease of long practice, Ursa stepped forward flirtatiously.

"Everyone stay where you are." she crooned. It was gentle, but still an order broadcast to the entire group, and even the ostrich horse stilled.

"Ursa . . . ?" Katara called uneasily as she felt her own ambition to move depleting.

"Now, gentlemen," Ursa patted the closest one on the cheek, her seductive expression turning pitiless, "I of course use that name loosely. Now Gentlemen, that's no way to talk to a pair of ladies. Your tongues are a privilege, cut them out."

It was an order.

The trio each reached for their knives or swords, and Katara screwed her eyes shut, nausea hitting her like a ton of bricks. She knew Ursa was ruthless in protecting people, but this was above and beyond necessary. This was torture.

"Ursa! Stop it! They don't deserve that!" she smelled blood, but refused to open her eyes. "Ursa!" she yelled again, catching the woman's attention.

"Stomach turns so quickly at the sight of blood? Some Fire Nation Noble you'll be . . .Very well, you want me to make it quick then?" Ursa sounded almost disappointed, "Thank the young lady for her kindness, boys."

Katara heard the horrible noise of tongueless mouths trying to form words while blood still oozed from them.

"Stop breathing."

Nothing happened at first, nothing audible, but after the first minute, the men started struggling and gurgling, she could hear their bloodied mouths opening and closing grotesquely in an attempt to inhale. She heard fabric tearing and feet shuffling, and someone collapsed.

"Ursa! Let them go!!"

"No no, Don't claw at your necks." Ursa reprimanded, from somewhere nearby, "Take it like men."

"Please, stop it! Just let them go!" Katara begged, she had witnessed war and death, but this was just sadistic. Ursa could have just as easily ordered them to leave them and not come back. The woman wanted to toy with them, like a cat.

"They would not afford you the same luxury." Ursa's voice was directed at her, the choking was growing weaker, "They would be only happy to rob you, rape you, then leave you for dead."

"We're better than them!!"

Ursa was silent for what seemed like a lifetime, thinking about what Katara had said. After everything, the girl thought that she, a regular black widow, was morally better than a pack of cut throats. Ursa knew she was far worse, but the simple gesture of thinking the best of her made the muscles in her chest tighten with unfamiliar emotion. Gratitude, embarrassment, pity, anger, perhaps all four at once, the aristocrat was not sure. What she was sure of, was that she could return the favor, she could give Katara the benefit of the doubt as well.

For now.

The Fire Lady stomped her foot, issuing a string of commands, "Breath. Get up. Stay where you are. Drop your weapons. Run until you collapse."

Only when the sounds of crashing underbrush faded out did Katara dare open her eyes. Ursa stood a few feet away examining her nails. The ground around them was torn up and several places were black with blood.

"Let me up?" Katara choked.

"Oh, apologies, I forgot you were bound too. Move as you like."

She practically threw herself from the saddle, managing to crawl to the side of the road before throwing up violently. How could anyone be so nonchalant about killing in cold blood? Ursa had finally lived up to the title of 'Azula's mother'. As she gagged on her own bile, she felt the woman pulling her hair back out of her face.

"Are you well? I would have thought that the Avatar's Water bending Sifu would handle death a bit better." In a disarmingly motherly fashion, Ursa rubbed Katara's back and crooned softly.

"You just . . . kill people? Just . . . like that?" Blue eyes met topaz accusingly.

"My weapons aren't a water whip or a broadsword, but they are just as lethal. Anyways, you are important to my son, and therefore, important to me. I won't let anyone hurt you." Ursa shrugged it off.

Katara opened up one of her water skins and pressed it to her lips. She swished around a mouthful of water and then spat it out, taking a few deep breaths. What Ursa did was eerily similar to blood bending, but the older woman seemed to show no remorse about pressing her will onto another person.

"It doesn't make you feel bad?" Katara asked, "Forcing people to do things they don't want to?"

"I do what I do to protect those that I love. If killing one person saves another, I won't hesitate." Ursa explained, "Perhaps you will understand when you're a mother yourself. We're wasting time though, are you feeling well enough to ride?"

Katara nodded.

...

...

...

If it hadn't been for her shirshu, June would have missed the young Avatar completely as they barreled down the path, intent on making it to the palace in record time. Nyla however had skidded to a stop so suddenly that June slid halfway down her neck before having the presence of mind to clamp her knees down and stop herself before she cleared the mammal's nose. With a small screech, the Shirshu stuck her snout right into the small boy, as though checking to make sure he wasn't the Fire Lord.

"Woah, easy girl." June wiggled back into the saddle, "Hey Avatar, what are you doing way the hell out here."

He turned around, and it was suddenly clear what he had been doing. He had been crying.

"Er, I wish I could stay and chat, but I'm kind of in a hurry." June forged on, remembering what had happened the last time she had tried to comfort Ursa.

"She dumped me!" it was accompanied by a long sniffle.

"Who, What now?"

"Katara, she is dating Zuko now!" Aang wiped his cheek on a grubby sleeve.

"Is she?" June feigned surprise, "And you're surprised? I did totally call it like, a year ago. Back when he had his ponytail, remember? Ha, Iroh owes me two gold."

Aang glared at her, his grey eyes brimming with fresh tears.

"I mean, I'm sorry to hear that, umm, why are you out here? Were you traveling with her?"

"Yea, well, I was, I guess I'm supposed to be looking out for her." Aang dried his eyes again and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "But I lost her, I should go find her."

"I don't think you need to worry too much, after all, she is a Master Bender." June reigned Nyla away, "Plus, she has gone on ahead. I ran into her earlier."

"Did she? Where did she go?! Why would she go alone? It's not safe!!"

"Relax, She isn't a delicate flower, She can handle herself." June found herself becoming annoyed with the lack of faith the boy had in his ex girlfriend. No wonder the poor girl dumped him for hot-head. Well, it probably didn't hurt that the scarred prince was also drop dead handsome, if she had been ten years younger, she might have asked for a different form of payment, other than his uncle's weight in gold.

"No, not tonight! Can you take me to her?" Aang tapped his glider against the rock, unfurling it's sails.

"'Not tonight'? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Katara . . . promise you won't tell anyone? Ok. Katara loses her bending during the new moon. She doesn't like to advertise it though . . . you know."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!?!" June hissed at him, grabbing the front of his shirt and lifting him off the rock to dangle in front of her. That explained the lack of faith.

"Umm, no?" Aang struggled, dropping his glider and grabbing her wrist with both hands. He pressed his feet against Nyla's flank and managed to squirm out of her grasp. Although he fell the eight feet to the ground, he landed lightly on his toes instead of hard on his butt like most people would have.

"FUCK!!" June swore, "FUCK!! Right now Fire Lady Ursa is with Katara, and they both headed off to round up Azula and Mai!! Ursa has NO IDEA Katara doesn't have her bending!! She is leading them both into a DEATHTRAP!!"

Aang paled. He remembered full well how much Azula wanted Katara and Ursa dead. He could see it on her face as she batted him around like a cat would a mouse in her bed.

"I've got to go find her!!" Aang grabbed for his staff again.

"Oh no Prince Charming, You've done enough. You use that glider of yours to go get Zuko and that death squad of an entourage you both have. I bet, you can make better time on your glider than I can on Nyla."

"I'm the Avatar, I can protect her by myself!!" Aang insisted.

June crossed her arms, why of all times did he choose to be disobedient?! "As far as I heard, you had some close combat with Azula recently, and you lost. Leave the fighting to us, you're not ready to run with the big girls yet. It will take Nyla and me hours to climb the foothills, you can just zoom over them, and you'll spend hours looking by air, Nyla can take me right to them."

"No! Katara needs my help!! She wouldn't turn her back on me if I was in danger!!" With that, the Avatar leapt into the air spiraling out of sight in a matter of seconds.

"What the hell?" June swore, watching the figure vanish among the clouds, too surprised to move, then cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled, "HEEY!! YOU STUPIC GIT! YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!!"

The Avatar must not have heard, because he kept steady on his course.

"Who in the four nations does that?!" June demanded of Nyla crossly, "Typical man. Runs off looking for someone without even asking directions. Whatever, we've wasted enough time here, come on girl, double time. We gotta reach the castle."

...  
...

Azula opened her eyes slowly, the light streaming into the room was painfully bright. How long had she been out? Hours? Days? Months? It hardly mattered.

"You should take better care of yourself, miss."

The young princess turned, and for a minute, she thought that she was looking at her mother. Unfortunately, the vision was gone when she blinked, and the woman in front of her was none other than the portly inkeeper's wife.

Azula tried to sit up, but found she couldn't. Her body was strapped to the bed by several yards of rope. Panic rose in her again, and she started to struggle, inhaling deeply to set the whole bed on fire.

"Release me at once!! You're kidnapping me!!"

"Sorry, young miss, lemi' let you up," The woman began fussing with the knots and a moment later, the bindings came loose, "We ain't kidnapping, we thought it was for the best, you know, you was scratchin' at yourself for most of the night, finally we clipped your nails and tied them down. Least you got a decent night sleep."

"Fine, I'm fine, where is Mai!? She left me, didn't she!! I knew she would."

"Your girlfriend?" The woman scratched her chin where a few stubborn whiskers sprouted, "She is at the healers hut, she went last night to get stitched up. Don't you remember? You gave her quite a set of gashes. I wouldn't be surprised if she did leave you, they weren't no accident."

"I remember." Azula wrinkled her face at the memory, they had no right tying her down, no right to force her, she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She just couldn't seem to tie her own hair or fasten her own cloths, but that was beside the point. Turning, with all the haughtiness of a rogue princess, she flounced out the door, heading to her own room.

The bedroom, however, proved to be too quiet. It wasn't long before the walls began to whisper and creak, and she began jumping at shadows. Azula took to pacing, back and forth and back and forth, from the window to the mantle and back again, her mind whirling as it so often did when she was left to her thoughts.

Finally, she concluded that Mai was sulking somewhere about the scratches and wasn't going to come back for a while. Azula had no idea why the girl was so attached to her face anyways, it wasn't that comely. At least, Azula didn't think so.

Something whispered behind her and she whirled around, throwing a punch. It never landed, of course, there was nothing there. Turning on her heel with as much poise as she could muster, the Princess fled the room and the tavern, retreating out into the squalled streets and making for the bluff she had stood on the previous night. It was her favorite spot because from there she had a good view of everyone coming up the path towards the village, and Mai would know to look for her there once she dragged herself out of the infirmary.

...

...

...

...

"Oww!! OWW!! Eeek! Look out!!"

It was all the young Fire Lord heard before a huge, vaguely bird shaped thing dive bombed through the open window into his meeting room, kicking up all the papers he had carefully laid out on his table. Grabbing for the fluttering white sheets, he heard, rather than saw the contortionist thump down on top of the table.

"TY LEE!!" Zuko pinched his nose, "What are you doing?!"

"Funny story, really, apparently gliders and boomerangs are a lot more alike than I initially thought." Ty Lee rubbed her bottom where she landed on it, "For example, if you jump into the wind-"

"I get it," Zuko grumped, "And how many times have you jumped off my palace?"

"Umm, that was my maiden voyage." Ty Lee beamed, "I thought it went well, I didn't break my ankle. I only tried from the second floor though, I would be terrified to-"

"Well, why don't we save the rest of your experiments for when Aang get's back." The Fire Lord suggested. When had his palace gone from a court to a three ring circus?!

"Fine fine, I'll just get out of your way," scooting on her bum to the edge of the table, (and to Zuko's annoyance, crinkling all the paper as she went,) Ty Lee jumped to her feet. Sheepishly, she went after her glider and with a bit of wrestling, managed to get it to retract it's sails. Her shoulders hunched, she slunk back out to the balcony and prepared to hurdle the railing

"Hey Zuko," Ty Lee shaded her eyes, "Check out this hot girl in the garden!"

"The what?" Zuko gathered his documents and tapped them on the table, trying to reorder things.

"The garden, there is a totally hot girl on a giant eyeless mole riding in. Yum!" Ty Lee put her chin on her elbows and her elbows on the railing, grinning a Cheshire grin and enjoying the view.

"A Mole?" Zuko dropped the papers, they no longer mattered. He ran to the balcony and followed Ty Lee's gaze.

"How come you came for the mole and not the hot girl?" Ty Lee teased, then saw his expression, "Hey, what's the matter? She someone you know?"

If she was expecting an answer, she was sorely disappointed. Zuko turned and practically ran from the room.

"HEY!!" Ty Lee took off after him, this felt important, his aura was practically blinding, it was so intense. She caught up to him as he entered the throne room where petitioners were normally seen. The woman and her pet had already been shown in, and she was walking up to meet the Fire Lord.

"June?! What are you doing here?"

"Zuko! You have to come quickly!!" Her mount was wheezing, sweat dripping down it's flank, even June looked exhausted, "It's your girlfriend, Katara is in trouble!!"

"She is what?! What happened?!"

"Basically, she found us. Apparently she and the shrimp with the arrow were riding that bison of theirs, then he said she told him about your little love triangle and he split. Afterwards she ran into me and Ursa, and Ursa took her off to look for your sister." June put her hands on her hips, "and apparently, word of mouth is, this girlie has no bending to protect herself with."

"Wait, Wait, Ursa? Katara found Ursa? What about Azula? Guards!!" Zuko barked, he was already pulling off his decorative shoulder plates, "I want my fastest airship to be ready to leave in five minutes!!"

"But your Majesty, the engine will melt and could crash the whole thing if it isn't properly heated-"

"FIVE MINUTES!!"

The man and woman scrambled out the door, tripping over each other to follow the orders.

"So they know where Azula is?" Ty Lee asked the bounty hunter.

"Later Ty Lee!!" Zuko barked as he tucked his undershirt into his pants, "Katara needs backup."

"Yea, we did."

Ty Lee looked relieved and terrified, but managed a smile, "That's good news, she needs to go back to the hospital. She isn't well."

"Tell Sokka, Suki, and Toph that June and I are going after her."

"Oh no!" Ty Lee protested, pointing the staff at the fire lord's nose, "She is my friend! They both are! I'm coming too!"

"The fastest Airships can only hold one or two people." Zuko protested.

"Rubbish!" Ty Lee crossed her arms, "Me and June together probably weigh less than you do, Mr Muscles!"

"It's true." June agreed, but then shook her head, "I guess Nyla isn't up for another cross country dash so soon." She patted her friend, and the shirshu gave a weak gurgle and then put it's head back on the stone floor.

"Your Majesty?" The guard was tentative, "The balloon is ready, but the engineer strongly cautions you against-"

"FINE!! You can come with us Ty Lee," Zuko barked, "But we're leaving NOW!!"

...

...

...

...

One hour before sunset, the moon rose. Of course, there was no hint of it, it was a new moon and therefore invisible against the reddening sky, but it rose nonetheless, and Katara felt her bending drain. Now that she understood what was happening, she could practically feel her aura lose density, and her chi block up. She touched her water skins longingly, though, now they were little more than decoration.

"Here we are." Ursa told her, not bothering to turn around, "You see it? It's that wretched cluster of buildings squatting like a bullfrog on that bluff over there."

Katara shielded her eyes, It was hard to miss, "So, now maybe you'll tell me why we're here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to collect my daughter."

"Azula's here?" Katara's blood felt frozen in her veins. She wanted to slide off the rump of the Ostrich horse and run for the thief riddled forest, it just seemed safer. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that Ursa had the situation well under control. If she could order a group of men to suffocate themselves, then she could order her daughter to come quietly. No need to have a panic attack.

"So, should we ask around? Where do we start?"

"Where do you think? The physicians."

They rode the rest of the way in silence, and Katara stared out over the ocean longingly. The Ostrich Horse picked it's way delicately through the rocks and along the brim of the cliff where the path was dangerously close to collapsing into the ocean. It was strange that anyone had thought to build the path right along the top of the steep overhang, but pirates were weird like that.

"Get off." The order was accompanied by a sharp yank on the reigns that made the ostrich horse whuffle in protest at the unnecessary abuse.

"What's the matter?" Katara asked as she slid down, her feet hitting the ground hard and jarring her up to her teeth.

"No need to visit the physicians . . . she's found us." Ursa slid down after her, then gave the Ostrich Horse a hard smack on the rump so it bolted.

Azula stood not fifty feet away, silhouetted against the sunset. She was pale, her clothing hung from her in tatters, and her hair was tangled and wild. Most unsettling of all were the hollows in her cheeks and the dark circles under her eyes, she looked like a corpse, an angry one.

"I thought you would show up sooner or later." The rogue princess stepped forward confidently, though she walked as though her knees didn't work quite right, "Spill enough blood and the scavengers will come crawling. Oh look, and you brought a friend! I have been wanting a rematch."

"Azula, stop this nonsense at once, you're coming back to the asylum with me." Ursa told her.

"Or what? You'll kill me?" Azula laughed, "I hate you! You think I'm a monster!! You never loved me as much as HIM!!"

Ursa shook her head sadly, "No, Azula, I loved you both very much."

The princess growled, her fingers clenched, "Oh I love you too, mother, I love you to DEATH!!"

With that she pivoted on her foot and kicked sending a fan of blue fire at the two women forcing them to dodge out of the way. Ursa landed hard, but managed to scramble up and out of the way of the next fireball. It was painfully clear, however, that the older woman had forgotten most of the combat training that she had received at the Fire Academy when she was younger.

Katara scrambled to her feet and drew her dagger, "Ursa! Make her stop!!"

"She can't!!" Azula grinned victoriously, "It doesn't work on people with siren blood, right mother?"

"Katara, do something!!" Ursa turned to her, "You've bested her before, during the comet no less, do it again!!"

Swearing inwardly, Katara rose to her feet, casting around for a good idea. She wished she had borrowed a pair of Suki's fans, they couldn't stab or slash, but they could dispel flames. Stepping in between the princess and her mother, Katara dropped into the hand to hand stance Suki had taught her.

"What, no ice avalanche today?" Azula sneered, one of her hands clasping her upper arm.

"I don't need it to take you down." The false confidence was unconvincing at best.

"Foolish girl!" Ursa hissed from behind her, "What are you playing at?!"

Katara turned and glared, whispering back "I can't bend during the new moon!!"

Ursa paled, then jumped forward and shoved her, throwing them both to the ground as another surge of lightening blew by, singeing their cloths. Katara jumped up, she had had enough, bending or no, Azula was half starved and off her rocker, and she needed to be taken down as soon as possible. After all the searching, she wasn't going to just hand Ursa over to her.

"So," Azula was saying conversationally between blasts, "I was thinking that after I cook both of you, I should drag you back to the palace and force feed you to his highness himself, seems a fitting end, don't you think? I bet you'll taste delicious."

Side stepping the princess's blasts of both fire and lightening, and losing a few inches off the hem of her travel robe in the process, Katara managed to close the distance between the two of them. The wild and vague movements suddenly condensed into an intense and deadly dance. The water tribeswoman desperately blocked and dodged, knocking the princess's arms away from her with her own and waiting for an opening to stab.

The problem was, the princess never gave her a chance, and Katara found herself perpetually on the defensive. There was no end to the barrage of attacks, every second meant she had to re-aim the Princess's blasts away from her, and the air practically crackled with electricity. On top of that, the other girl was muscling her closer and closer to the cliff face, probably gearing up to knock her off of the edge. It wouldn't be long. Although her face showed only rage, Katara could see her opponent's knees shaking, and her movements were becoming sloppy. The girl was exhausted and overexerting herself, adrenaline could only last so long, soon enough, her body would give out underneath her. Katara just had to hold out and keep from being roasted until then.

Both of them hesitated when they heard a horrible, ear shattering crash followed by the groaning of metal on metal. Instinctively, Katara turned her head to see what the ruckus was, and halfway through the motion she regretted it. Azula took advantage of her opponent's distraction and grabbed her for her. Katara screamed and in a last ditch defense, collapsed backwards, but Azula just followed, landing on top of her, her grip on her opponent's arms tightening.

The sudden voltage in her system was unbearably painful, and Katara barely managed to get her tongue out of the way of her teeth before she lost most of the control of her muscles. It was like when Hama blood bent her, though at least blood bending was not painful unless you were being contorted, this was excruciating. Her muscles tensed and released and she lost most of her control over them, her fingers spasmed and she dropped her weapon. At least Azula's nails were clipped, otherwise they would be touching her bone right about then.

"Mother?!!"

"How nice of you to join the party, Zuzu. No! NO!! Stay back or I'll kill your little courtesan here! She can't take much more in the way of voltage." Azula straddled her victim and grinned at her brother, then, to taunt him, leaned over and licked her cheek.

"Stop it!!" Somewhere in her pain addled haze, Katara heard Zuko's voice. She rolled her eyes, and in the corner of her vision she saw the smoking remains of a small, crash landed Fire Nation Airship. Zuko, Ty Lee, and June stood at the opposite end of the clearing, all of them fingering their weapons, but unsure how to proceed.

"S-s-stop-p h-er-r!!" Katara coughed out past clenched teeth, Azula was trapped between Ursa and Zuko, she had nowhere to go, "D-ddon-t-t wor-rry a-a-bout-t m-me!!"

"Shut up peasant!" the Princess snarled and the pain intensified as she upped the charge.

It was no longer possible to resist the pain, Katara arched her back and screamed loudly, writhing in agony. Her whole body bowed in reaction to the torture, actually lifting Azula up off the ground with it as she fought against the pain. She tried to move, to scratch at her captor, but her arms just twitched and then thrashed uselessly against the ground.

"Just sit tight Katara!!" Ty Lee yelled, "We're going to get you out of there!!"

"Enough 'zula, let her go, it's me you really want." Ursa walked towards her daughter, her hands out in showing she had no weapons, a determined look on her face, "Let Katara go."

Azula looked back and forth, weighing her options.

"Why don't you pick Zuzu?" She said finally, tossing her hair over her shoulder to look at him, flattening herself against the water bender's wriggling body as though the girl was a couch. "Who should I kill first? Your mother or your lover?"

"You'll let them both go if you know what's good for you!!" Tongues of flame licked from his mouth as he yelled, and his muscles coiled, ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation.

"Fine then!" The princess turned back and grinned ferally at her mother, "Fire Ladies first." Letting go of Katara, she pounced, bounding across the grass, covering the space between them.

Katara stared up at the sky, dazed, her muscles feeling like jelly after being so thoroughly electrified. Someone was helping her up to her feet, and she rolled her head to her side, spotting Ty Lee. The Acrobat wrapped one of Katara's arms over her shoulders and pulled her to her feet, and once she was standing, things began to clear, and she found her balance again. Zuko and June were galloping up the hill towards them, Ty Lee must have launched herself up to Katara once Azula had let her go.

Azula easily reached her mother and moved to throw a punch, Ursa, however, sidestepped, then threw her arms around her daughter in a tight hug. It was the kind of embrace that, although was not crushing, would not be easy to wriggle out of either. For a second, Azula froze in astonishment, as though she had no idea how to react. Casually, Ursa turned them, shielding her daughter with her own body.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie," Ursa whispered, smoothing her daughter's hair, "I love you."

"'Tara, are you okay?" Zuko skidded to a stop next to her and Ty Lee, and although he seemed genuinely concerned for her wellbeing, his eyes were almost glued to his mother.

"Hey!" June grabbed his arm, "Can't you do something?!"

"They're too close together, and my mom is in the way, I don't have a clear shot," Zuko seemed frantic, "Ty Lee, can you get in there and disable her?"

"I'm on it." The girl cautiously untangled herself from Katara and jumped, rocketing herself across the plateau, still carrying the glider Aang had given her.

"NO!! I HATE YOU!" Azula suddenly seemed to recover from her initial shock, and began thrashing violently in her mother's arms, "NO!! LET GO!! LET ME GO!!!" As she struggled, the princess screamed, her hands clutched and tore at the back of Ursa's robes, then finally, in desperation, ignited them.

Everything seemed to happen at once. The cloth caught like paper, and suddenly both women were a huge, living, burning effigy. The sudden heat wave knocked Ty Lee out of the air mid somersault, and she landed hard on her back, the wind knocked out of her. The glider crashed down as well, narrowly missing hitting her on the head in what could have been a very painful accident. Azula started shrieking and struggling, as Ursa held her tighter, refusing to let go, and the Princess's cloths caught as well.

Zuko screamed.

Both he and June took off for his mother, but before he had gotten two feet, Katara grabbed him and tripped him to the ground, almost certain that he would throw himself on the funeral pyre as well. He had the sort of mad desperation on his face that made it clear he was capable of anything, particularly something rash.

"Get up, Acrobat!" She heard June scold.

"GET THE FUCK OFF ME KATARA!! MOM!! MOM!! MOMMY!!" His mouth blasted with flame as he yelled, and in a sizzle, and a burst of one of the worst stenches she had ever smelt, half her hair went up in smoke. Underneath her, Zuko struggled, his screams turning to anguished cries as he watched his mother burn. His cheeks were soon streaked with tears, and then smeared with dirt as he thrashed about. She did her best to restrain him, but he outweighed her, and without her bending she was no match.

Even through the screams, Katara could still make out a tune, Ursa was singing to her daughter, some sort of strange lullaby. "Sleep, child, Sleep now quietly . . . Be calm and still . . . The mist may rise, The hawk may cry . . . As shadows haunt my lullaby . . . But they won't be here in the morning, I will . . ."

"Please Lady Ursa!! Let her go!! Drop and roll!!" Ty Lee and June had made it to Ursa and Azula, and the acrobat was dodging about, jabbing here and there, but the only thing she seemed to be succeeding at was burning her hands horribly.

"What the fuck are you playing at, woman!?" June finally pulled out her whip and latched it around Azula's neck and hauled, trying to separate them. The whip, however soon snapped as the fire ate through it, and it released it's victim. Ursa simply held her tighter, cradling her daughter's head in her chest as they burned. The flames had eaten through most of the fabric by then, and had started on the women's skin, and Azula's screams intensified, Katara could see her clawing at her mother's back through a veil of blue heat.

The rocks in front of Zuko were pretty much fried by then, each breath he exhaled creating a fresh burst of fire. Just when Katara thought that she was going to lose her grip on the Fire Lord, another pair of hands grabbed him, forcing his shoulders down flat into the ground. Katara looked up into a pair of dull amber eyes, surprised beyond belief to see Mai beside her, helping her.

"Stop it Zuko!" She told him lightly in her indifferent monotone, "You're breathing fire everywhere, you'll burn us all."

Taking advantage of the charity, Katara readjusted her grip, pressing her knee into her boyfriend's scarred chest, silently apologizing for taking advantage of his weakness. She knew she was betraying his trust, by trying to save his skin.

In a last ditch effort, Azula pressed hard into her mother, hugging her hard and pushing them both forward and off the cliffs edge, knocking them both into the frothing waves hundreds of feet below. Ty Lee and June ran after them, skidding to a stop at the edge.

"AZULA!!" Ty Lee cupped her free hand to her mouth, "Do you see them?"

"No." June squinted, "They couldn't have sank that fast, could they?"

"Wish me luck."

"Luck?" As June watched, the brunette stepped back and opened the sails of her glider, then with a few jogging steps, the girl flung herself off the ledge as well, hooking her feet up and into the staff and gliding unsteadily down. Her calls floated up across the clearing and out over the water as she looked for her fallen friend.

Zuko was beside himself with grief. He had stopped struggling to get up soon after Mai's intervention, seemingly resigning himself to being held down. His whole body shuddered with sobs as he pressed his face into the ground, and his breathing came in ragged gasps. When he looked up, his face was stuck with dirt and scratches he had amassed while struggling, his cheeks were streaked, his face was flushed, and his nose was dripping freely.

Mai curled her lip up in silent distaste, "I'll go see how Ty Lee is doing."

When she was out of the immediate area, Katara pulled the hysterical man into her lap, and he buried his face into the fabric of her dress. His sobs soon turned to coughs, then gags, and Katara began to worry he would work himself into such a frenzy he would pass out. Finally, after what seemed like the longest hour of her life, he went limp against her. No tears, no gasps, he just stared out across the water, his gold eyes vacant. Katara offered comfort the way she was most accustomed to with Aang, she took him into her arms and cradled him gently, rocking him back and forth.

This brought on fresh tears, but no sobs evolved from them, and the Fire Lord curled his fingers in the fabric of her tunic, clutching it tightly. She had never seen him so vulnerable before, and it scared her, he must have been in shock. Usually he reacted to a situation by becoming angry, and Katara worried that that would be next.

She watched as Ty Lee crash landed back onto the cliff top, or more accurately, half on the cliff top. June had to reach down and haul her the rest of the way up. This feat was accomplished with only one hand and minimal grunting.

"I looked all over the shore and in the shallows!" Ty Lee explained, "It's like, It's like they vanished!!"

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**Hey guys, so sorry for the long hiatus. I have been either drunk, hung over, sleeping, working, sewing a mandatory cosplay costume, or sick for the last long while. Yay me! Anyways, you don't want to hear about my mucus levels or alcohol intake, you want to hear about the story. Hmm, story news . . .**

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**I'm not sure how I feel about this, I feel like Zuko might be ooc, I have no idea how he would react to this sort of situation. But I rewrote it several times, and I liked this way the best, for what it's worth, so I decided to run with it.**

**::flashes artistic license:: Don't Panic, I'm a writer.**

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**Midsummer is on DA now, I have started posting with thumbnails so you can check out a little author illustration for each chapter. You'll get to see how I imagine Kisa, Yeo, and one more **_**Secret**_** OC that has not been introduced formally into the story yet. (I know right? So few chapters left and I am throwing more OCs into the mix?! I must be mad!)**

**So that might be worth your while to check out, if . . . you know . . . you like looking at things.**

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**Umm, what else . . . nothing else . . .**

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**Thank you for all the support, reviews, fanart, and drabbles (and the bugging to update, it helps because it makes me feel ashamed of my slowness) I am still surprised at how popular this story is!**

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**So . . . . review! You know you want to.**


	29. Chapter 29: The Blame Game

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: R

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** This is a fan made project, I didn't create any of this. I don't claim it as my own. But you should definitely go buy Avatar merchandise, mainly because it rocks.

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**Chapter 29: The Blame Game**

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The sun was sinking below the horizon, and they all knew they would have to figure something out for the night. Everyone sat quietly, unsure of what to do. Ty Lee had wrapped her arms around Mai and was openly sobbing, mourning her best friend. The aristocrat stared off into space glumly, but had grudgingly put an arm around the smaller girl and was patting her back. Katara considered asking her why it was ok for Ty Lee to messily cry on her but it wasn't okay for Zuko to but then dismissed it, now was not the time for petty jabs. It looked like the girl had paid for her mistakes anyways, three huge gashes were stitched up with black thread, and they stretched from one side of her face to the other. It was rather grotesque, and hard to look at.

"Alright, so what do we do?" June turned and looked at Katara, and after a moment, Ty Lee and Mai followed suit. The water bender blinked from where she knelt with the Fire Lord cradled in her arms, how was she 'leader elect'? She didn't even have her bending.

"Er . . ." She took a deep breath, and suddenly, everything became clear, "Is the airship destroyed?"

"I think the engine melted." June replied.

"Ok, Ty Lee, do you feel comfortable walking the woods in the dark? I need you to go get Appa from the stable in the inn in the next town over. He knows you, you know how to drive him, right?"

"Yes, but, the woods? At night? Alone?" Ty Lee wiped a few stray tears from her cheek and shifted back and forth, tugging at the hem of her skirt.

"Mai, go with her."

"Hey! You can't just send that turncoat out! All of this happened because of her! What if she runs away?!" June protested, glaring daggers at the other goth.

"Her punishment for treason is for Zuko to decide." Katara bit out. Ok, maybe one tiny jab, "You can probably reach it by morning. June, I don't know long you have been paid up until-"

"Ursa was a friend." June barked, crossing her arms, "I'm not on the clock."

"Ok, can you round up some friends tonight- you do have friends in this town, right?"

"I can make some." June punched a fist into her open palm for emphasis.

"Alright, then round them up and you and I will sweep the beach tomorrow at low tide. Hopefully, they'll have . . ." Katara glanced down at the man in her arms, he didn't appear to be listening, he was just staring out at the ocean blankly, ". . . you know, washed up . . ."

"I'll meet you at the tavern in the morning." June pivoted trotting up the pathway and into the village.

Katara sighed and wrapped one of Zuko's arms over her shoulders and struggled to haul the unresponsive teen to his feet.

"Here, I'll help you." Ty Lee, always eager to please, scurried over and wrapped his other arm around her shoulders.

"Ty Lee! Your hands!" Katara reached for them, and the acrobat blushed and hid them behind her back.

"Azula's fire is blue because of the temperature she can reach, most benders cant burn it that hot . . . I can help you carry him. I'm fine." Although her face was flushed and tear streaked, the acrobat looked determined.

"Where is the inn in town?" Katara turned to Mai, who shook herself out of her stupor and pointed, "Alright, lead the way."

Between the two of them, Katara and Ty Lee half led, half carried the Fire Lord up the hill, although it would have been easy for them to carry him between them, coordinating their movements as they climbed the slope was far from simple. By the time they reached the main road, both girls were sweating, though, Zuko, at least seemed to be regaining himself. He began walking fully, though Katara still had to keep her arms on him to hold him steady and lead him where she wanted him to go.

Mai ducked in ahead of them, showing them the way up to the room she and Azula had shared. Apparently the aristocrat had financed much of the expedition. After the initial struggle to get him up the stairs and into the room's bed, Ty Lee and Katara flopped down onto the floor, exhausted.

"Ty Lee, find the village healer, I can't help you until the day after tomorrow, but I swear, I will do everything I can." Katara told her.

"I don't know where it is."

"I can show you." Mai told her in her usual monotone, her fingers touching one of her stitched cuts lightly, "I was there earlier."

"Go on Ty, I can manage."

"Okay, I'll be back in a little while." The smaller girl promised and then cantered off with her friend. The door slammed, and Katara turned around, placing her hands on her hips and surveying her boyfriend. He had rolled over onto his side and curled up like a child, staring blankly at the wall, his gold eyes hollow.

What would be the best course of action? Katara wasn't sure, she ran her fingers through her hair and stared blankly as it ended way to early and left her fingers covered with crinkled, charred strands. Briefly, she remembered one of Zuko's yells had caught some of it, but the damage must have been worse than she thought. In girlish vanity, she cried out and rushed to the mirror, cringing. Although it was much longer than Suki's bob, it was barely half of the length it used to be, and she slumped down to the floor, leaning her head forward between her knees and pressing her palms against her forehead.

The instant she stopped moving and doing things, the memories started up, Azula and Zuko's screams . . . one in agony, one in anguish. The feeling of powerlessness, if she had had her bending, she could have doused the fire. She had the whole sea at her disposal. Instead she had let Azula grab her and start electrocuting her. Ursa had promised to protect her . . .

Her eyes began to sting with tears.

It was her fault.

Ursa died protecting her because Zuko loved her.

It was ALL her fault.

She should have never offered to work on Zuko's chest that night in Iroh's tea shop. If she hadn't, they would have never glimpsed her heightened power, they would have never left for the Swamp. She should have never kissed him in the cave of two lovers. If she hadn't, he would still be with Mai and the foolish girl would never have released Azula. If she had never gone to the swamp, she would never have found out about the Sirens. She would have never learned how to read Ozai, and she would never have learned about Ursa's powers. She could see it now, an intricate web of waterways like the women of the swamp described. If she had just stayed out of everyone's business, Azula would never have had the opportunity to commit matricide.

Tears were streaking down her cheeks by then and Katara laced her toes, rocking back and forth where she had collapsed.

What was she supposed to do? How could she fix this?! She had wanted so much to reunite Zuko with his mother. She had wanted to make him happy, and instead, she had totally ruined everything. They had first bonded over their mutual motherlessness, and the fact that it was her fault that Ursa was dead, that she had taken her away from him made her feel sick inside.

Katara dug her fingernails into her scalp enough for it to hurt. How could she do that to someone she claimed to love? Was she a horrible person? Was she as much of a monster as Azula and Ursa? It was supposed to be a favor, an apology, a reimbursement, to find and lay Ursa at Zuko's feet so to speak, it was supposed to make him love her more. Instead, because of her, he had watched his mother burn alive.

There was a knock on the door, it startled Katara out of her stupor of self pity, and she called for them to come in.

"Hello young mistress," The innkeeper's wife bustled in her arms ladened with towels and assorted bottles, "You're friends of the young lady Mai, aren't you?"

"Yea, I guess you could call us friends." 'Rivals' would have been more appropriate.

"Well, I saw you come in, and I took the liberty of starting a bath for you, you're covered with soot and . . . umm . . . moisture. And your hair looks to need a washing." The woman informed her politely as she used a hip to open the door completely. Two boys bustled in, carrying a huge metal tub between them, they were careful to keep it level as it was filled with water, steam rising from it. Katara was surprised to see that they were the same two boys she had met on the ferry. Gen winked at her.

They sure got around, they were worse than the cabbage merchant.

"It's nice and hot," the woman told her as she pulled an assortment of soaps out of her apron and lined them up next to the bath, "Do you want help? I can tell the boys to stay, your friend looks hurt, they can help you lift him."

"No!" Katara told her, fishing in her travel robes for some coins to tip her, "I can manage. Do you think you could bring up some bandages, and if someone named June comes by looking for us, send her up." Katara had a feeling Zuko wouldn't be up for eating much, and would probably refuse anything she tried to coax into his system.

"Okay then young mistress, you just come find me when you're ready for me to take it away." With that she hustled the two boys out and closed the door behind her.

Katara breathed for a few minutes, looking back and forth, she didn't really think a bath was a great idea at the moment, she definitely didn't feel like taking one, but it was something to keep her mind occupied. It would distract her and keep her from curling up into a ball of self pity. Plus, she could see that Zuko had several scratches and cuts that could use a wash, and maybe he would come around feeling the water on his skin.

He had obviously changed in a hurry, his armor was buckled crookedly, and the knots were done wrong. It took several minutes to get the damn breastplate and shoulder pads off, but she managed, and was grateful when she got to the cloth underneath. Her fingers were long familiar with how to get Zuko's regular cloths off, and she made quick work of the ties and buttons. Finally, she circled the prince's arm over her shoulders and enticed him into a stand by lifting him with all her might, leading him like she would a docile ostrich horse.

Cooperating without making much of a fuss, Zuko yielded his body, letting her move him across the room and into the water. It was soon clear that bathing someone without bending was a lot more difficult than she remembered, and Zuko made no move to help her. His head rested on the rim of the tub, and he stared vacantly at the ceiling, looking much like his father had when the surgeons had drugged him with the strange smoke.

"Please snap out of it." She finally pleaded, running one of the wash towels over his scar, wiping the grime from his face in her typical motherly fashion, "Come on Zuko! I don't know what to do here without you."

"She can't be dead . . ." It was the first thing that had slipped from his lips since he had screamed for Ursa as she burned. His eyes finally focused and he turned his head to look at her. "She just vanished . . . same as last time. She can't be dead."

Katara didn't reply. She had no answer to give. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him, offering him the little comfort the warmth and closeness of her body could provide. It seemed to help, he raised his arms and returned the embrace, pulling her halfway into the tub with him, soaking her travel robes to the shoulder. The water level rose dangerously high, but didn't overflow, and without protest, she let him bury his face into her neck.

"I'm so sorry," she found herself apologizing, and once she started, she couldn't stop,"Zuko, I am so, so sorry . . . It's my fault, It's all my fault. I should have done something. I should have taken down Azula. I was waiting for an opening that would cripple her, I didn't want to kill your sister, spirits, if I had just killed her, Ursa would be safe . . ."

He didn't respond, he had lapsed back into himself, and his hold on her loosened. Katara detangled herself from him and rung her cloths out the best she could before returning to the chore of tending to the shell shocked prince.

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June stared out over the water, shivering in the wind. Although she hated to admit it, she hurt. She had known things would not end well, but had not thought they would go so south. It wasn't like Ursa would climb out of the water below and be okay, she had been enveloped in a huge fire ball, she fell hundreds of feet into shallow craggy water. Still, June waited and watched in the cool night air, hoping.

She sniffed, wrapping her arms more tightly around her chest, remembering the fire lady and their unlikely friendship. It had not been easy, they were both cranky and strong willed, but there was a certain mutual respect that they had had for each other, and it bothered June that she didn't get a chance to say goodbye.

"_Isn't there some sort of sisterly rule in your culture that it's dishonorable to use your gifts on a friend?"_

"_You are not a friend."_

"_I want to ask my question." _

"_Very well." _

"_Do you, Fire Lady Ursa, have any intention at all of killing your daughter?"_

"_No. I have no intention of killing my daughter. I'm going to put her out of her misery. If she really wants my blood, I will not deny her, but she will find the cost of my demise will be very steep, it may cost her her very humanity."_

June wondered what Ursa had meant. It had made no sense at the time, and still did not. Ursa said that she had no intention of killing her daughter . . . what had changed? Why had Ursa refused to release her when the flames started to consume them? It made no sense at all, was hugging her daughter really so important?

The only logical conclusion was that Ursa had lied, but June dealt with thieves all the time, and usually had a pretty good idea when someone was telling a tale. She truly thought that Ursa had been truthful.

That meant that there was another part of the puzzle that had yet to fall into place. Ursa was from the sea, and maybe to the sea she would return.

June shook her head to clear it.

The woman had always been an enigma, and a monster, and her daughter, like most daughters had become her mirror image.

June traced one of the snake tattoos on her exposed triceps, wondering what she meant by 'Putting her out of her misery', wasn't that the same as killing someone? What did Ursa think she owed the crazy girl? Standing again, she squinted out into the haze of the water. There was no moon and no light to see by, but she could have sworn she saw someone, or something, break the surface. As suddenly as it came, it was gone, and the bounty hunter decided that her eyes must be playing tricks on her. There was nothing in the bay, the short brunette had looked and looked.

Turning she surveyed the area, the grass and vegetation was burnt pretty well to a crisp, and the trees were still smoking. There was no light, but that hardly mattered, June could find anything, anywhere. Trudging around aimlessly for several minutes, she finally found the footprints of the Ostrich horse Ursa and Katara had been riding. She recognized Katara's Water Tribe shoes, and Ursa's pointed, Fire Nation ones walking away. Reorientating herself, she followed the tracks back into the woods.

She wanted another look at what the late Lady Ursa had in her saddle bags.  
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After having his scratches washed and dressed, Zuko had been content to curl back up on the bed and stare at the wall, and Katara let him. To keep her hands and mind busy, she washed out his cloths, so she didn't even bother to redress him. Her own cloths needed washing as well, and she needed to change her bindings because of her moon time. In all the excitement, at least, she had not had time to moan about cramps and fatigue.

After she had finished the menial tasks, she washed out her hair, mourning it's loss. She would have to ask Ty Lee to even it out for her, the girl just seemed like the type who knew everything about everything about hair. Finally, she rinsed and dressed the burns on her upper arms where Azula had gripped her and sent in her electricity. They were only first degree, but they were painful under pressure, and she found herself whimpering more than once as she wrapped them up. When she got back to the palace, she would have to have the doctors look at them, she didn't want to leave Zuko to see the seedy village's healer.

"Hey Katara, I'm back! Just for a second though, Mai is waiting downstairs." Ty Lee burst in, "I brought back some herbs for you, I saw you burnt your arms."

_How did that girl always stay on top of everything?_ Katara thought, _No wonder she was Azula's go to girl, in spite of being a ditz._

"Ek! I wasn't expecting you! Wait Ty!" Katara yelled, whirling around to the bed with a towel, "Zuko isn't decent!"

Tossing the towel over him and then tucking it under him, Katara made sure nothing important was visible.

"Ok Ty, you can open your eyes now."

"I wasn't closing them."

"Oh." Katara glared at her friend, then hurriedly changed the subject, "You said you found herbs?"

"Yea, well, it wasn't hard, everyone and their mother in the fire nation keeps these plants around," Ty Lee produced the long prickly stalks, their insides still dripping with their soothing gooey filling.

"Thanks." Katara took them gratefully and accepted the hug that Ty Lee forced onto her.

"I'll be back with Appa soon." She promised, patting Katara on the back, then whispered "I've known Zuko a while . . . sometimes he goes through these depressions . . . Iroh was telling me about a really bad one in Ba Sing Se, he had a fever and was in bed for days and days, and had nightmares, Iroh was really worried . . . anyways, he is going to go through those five stages of loss. Brace yourself for the 'anger' stage . . . it's not going to be pretty . . . nobody gets angry quite like Zuko."

"He has every right to be mad at me." Katara replied glumly, "This is all my fault."

"No." the acrobat responded, squeezing tighter, "It's nobody's fault. Nobody could have seen this coming, nobody could have stopped it. Now, you're going to have to be really strong, 'tara, I'll be back as soon as I can with Appa."

Katara allowed herself to be released and then muttered something about high and mighty air benders giving unsolicited advice. Ty lee however, has simply given a half heartedly forced grin and trotted out the door, closing it softly behind her.

Walking back over to the bed, Katara sat down next to her boyfriend and tucked a strand of loose hair behind his misshapen ear. His eyes were closed, but he was frowning in his sleep, his face tense. Worried by what the acrobat had told her, she checked his temperature, and to her dismay, it was up. Unfortunately, a bar fight had broken out downstairs, and she had little hope of getting any of the inn's staff up to help her, they had to clean the common area and drag their unconscious patrons either to their rooms or out back to sleep it off.

Her heart twinged, she remembered losing her own mother, it felt like something in her had died with the woman. It felt cold and lonely. Pulling the covers up over him, she curled up next to him, circling an arm over his stomach and nuzzling the back of his neck tenderly. She wished that she could offer him some healing, but that would have to wait, all she had to offer then was empathy.

"I know what it feels like." Katara whispered into his ear, unsure whether he was lucid enough to hear her, "To watch your mother die. To lose her so unexpectedly. I know how you feel right now." She laced her fingers with his and lay her head on the pillow, intent on watching him for the night.

As the hours ticked away, the Prince's temperature climbed, and he began twitching back and forth, muttering. Sitting cross legged next to him, Katara did all she could to keep him cool and keep him still. He had soon soaked through his blankets, and at last, she pulled them off him entirely, hoping that would make him more comfortable.

Finally, at what Katara thought must have been four in the morning, after almost eight hours of her stressing and praying, his fever broke, and almost that exact instant he sat up gasping.

"Zuko?!" She whispered tentatively, she had been starting to nod off, and the sudden movement startled her to wakefulness.

He paid her no attention, but bolted from the bed with a strangled cry and jumped out of bed, his legs tangling in the covers and sending him crashing to the floor. Regaining his footing, he crossed the room and fumbled for the mirror on the dresser. Grabbing a fistful of hair, he pulled it out of his face, looking at his scar for a long minute, then panting, relieved.

By then, Katara had moved to join him, and brushed her fingers lightly on his bare shoulder, getting his attention.

"I had a dream." Was all he mumbled by way of explanation.

The water bender gone nurse decided to let it go, "You should go back to bed, you should get some sleep if you can."

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The next morning, June found Ursa's body.

It had washed ashore during the night. It was clear by the gaping crack in her skull that she had smacked her head on the underwater rocks as she plunged into the water, and it had probably killed her instantly. The current then must have dragged her and Azula down and under, and out of the shallows that Ty Lee had been able to search.

There was no sign of Azula.

It was very likely that the poor girl had been swept out to sea on the riptide, but Katara couldn't help but feel like it would take more than an incineration, freefall, and drowning to end Azula.

She and Zuko had walked together the littered beach the half mile to where they found the woman. She hadn't wanted him to go, but he refused to believe it was his mother until he had seen it with his own eyes. After all, Pyre on the Water was the sort of place where people went missing and washed up a few days later all the time.

There was no doubt though, even with her charred and decomposing flesh, her gold eyes were still remarkably intact. Although she might not have been the only one to die the previous evening, she was the only one with aristocratic blood. June had graciously volunteered to get Ursa's body back up to the top of the cliff with the help of some local muscle, and the Fire Lord had not objected.

Wordlessly, Zuko had walked back up the bluff, and Katara had followed several steps behind, leaving him with his thoughts. By the time they reached the cliff face she found Appa grazing on the patchy grass there, oblivious to the turmoil around him. Aang and Ty Lee were perched on his head, and the acrobat smiled and waved nervously.

"Where is Mai?" Zuko asked coolly as they slid off the animal.

"Um, well, she . . ."

"Ty Lee lost her," Aang explained, "but she found me." The air bender jumped off his friend and landed in front of the Fire Lord, hugging him tightly. "I'm so sorry Zuko."

Zuko didn't return the hug, "Just take me back to the palace Aang."

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The next few days passed in a blur. The Funeral came and went, Katara sat in the audience as the sun sages gave a speech over the twin coffins. They had never found Azula's body, but the story of the murder reached far and wide. Although most people accepted the truth, there were still whispers that the Princess was still alive, just in hiding. It was, however, widely rejected, Azula never kept a low profile.

In an incredible show of mercy, Zuko charged Mai with breaking out a prisoner instead of high treason. Instead of being put to death, she was given a sentence of a year in the capital's prison, the same place Iroh had been. This raised more discontent, and the crime rate climbed, the common criminals taking advantage of their ruler's newfound leniency.

Except for the funeral, Zuko had not left his room.

The first day it was to be expected, the second, it was normal, the third, it was tolerable, but by the fourth, Katara had started to fret, then worry, then she began to get angry. He wouldn't see her when she came to visit, but she didn't take it personally at first, he wouldn't see anyone. Suki left for Kyoshi the following evening, saying that she had responsibilities there, and the morning combat practices subsided. Sokka had stayed, saying something about visiting Master Piandao, it was clear the two were quarreling again. Ty Lee and Aang spent most of their time together, doing drills, though the acrobat did seem to make as much of an effort reaching out to the fire lord as she did. His advisors had taken over governing while he mourned, but Katara knew that it couldn't last too much longer. Zuko's people needed him, and not even his mother came before his country.

Finally, somehow, Ty Lee managed to talk her way into his room, nobody was quite sure how, but they all knew how talented the sixteen year old was at getting into boy's rooms.

"Zuko . . ." The room was dark, all the shades drawn but one, and she found he had pulled up a chair to the far window and was sitting in the moonlight, "What are you looking at?"

"Make it quick, Ty." Zuko's eyes never shifted from the moonlit bay.

"It's been four days." Ty Lee appraised her childhood buddy, he seemed a ghost of himself. He hadn't slept, that was easy to tell, and as far as she knew he hadn't eaten either. His eyes were bloodshot, and his hands were trembling where they rested on the arms of the chair.

"You said you had news of Azula."

"Oh, right, we still haven't found her." Ty Lee managed an innocent smile, but her heart wasn't in it.

"That's not news." Zuko informed her.

"Well, it's sort of news, I mean, how would-" Ty Lee kicked herself, "Look, I haven't come here to debate what is news, I came here to talk to you."

"So you lied to me."

"It's been four days Zuko, your advisors are doing ok, but, it won't be much longer before your governmental infrastructure starts to crumble." Ty Lee's tongue tripped over the large words as she spoke them, and she mentally cursed her ditziness.

"So?"

"So, you need to dig deep and find the strength to get up and lead your people." She was pleading, they both knew it.

"My mom is dead." Zuko finally turned from the ocean view to look at her, his eyes wild, "_My Mom is DEAD_!! And _you, _you want me to _snap out of it_?!" he hissed.

"Well . . . yes." Ty Lee frowned deeply, crinkling her nose in the effort to not botch things up worse. The Fire Lord's red aura was brightening and heating, but all his chakras were muddying and slowing their spiral.

"Get out."

"Fine, I will, but you need to talk to someone and feel better. You should talk to Katara, her mother was murdered too, you know. She understands what you're feeling better than I do, she's gone through it too, and she'll make you feel better, I know she will, she'll know exactly what to say." Ty Lee tried to give him a hug, but all she got for her effort was a rough shove away. As she watched, anger filled the Fire Lord's eyes, and Ty Lee suddenly understood that his hands had been shaking with rage.

"Katara?!" He was out of his chair now, pacing like a caged animal, "It's her fault! All of this is her fault!! She . . . SHE is the reason my Mom is dead!!"

"That's not fair-" Ty Lee stared in horror as the rant continued.

"It's her fault, she practically murdered my mother! She just didn't throw the killing blow." He knocked the unlit lamp from his night table, and then overturned his chair. Then he pressed his hands flat to the wall, panting, not from exertion, but the sheer strength of the emotions rocketing through his body.

"No she isn't!" Ty Lee argued back, but didn't step closer, she wasn't _that_ brave, "I know you're desperately trying to find someone to blame. Katara, she hasn't done anything wrong! You know she hasn't! She didn't have her bending, and I would say, from what I have seen of her hand to hand, she did DAMN well against your flame throwing sister!"

"Shut up Ty Lee, you're just a circus freak, what do you know about loss? You're fucking starting to sound like Aang."

"Well!" Ty Lee tried not to feel to affronted and failed, "Aang is pretty smart for his age, and the monks he has been telling me about are the most enlightened and peaceful of all the nations, so sorry, but I think you just gave me a compliment!"

Zuko didn't reply, he didn't acknowledge her.

"Anyway!" she found herself continuing, she wasn't angry, just disappointed with him, "You better forgive her real quick, because Katara is a pretty girl, and smart, and powerful, and she doesn't need to be your emotional punching bag! I've known you for longer than anyone, Zuz, and I know how you think, but if you continue down this road, as I foresee it, you'll only end up sad and alone and _mad at yourself_!!"

With that, Ty Lee turned and marched from the room. She loved him dearly, and would be more than happy to support and help him, but he wasn't listening to reason. He was going to forget everything he had learned, ignore her advice (as usual), and insist on being stupid.

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"It's like he's sunk into a depression, times ten." Ty Lee related back to Katara as she trimmed her hair, she was the only one who he would talk to for any length of time, "He hasn't been eating, he hasn't been sleeping, he hasn't been _bathing_. He has just been staring blankly out into the ocean."

Katara was insanely jealous of the acrobat. It wasn't fair, but to be expected. She was, after all, one of his childhood friends. She had known him for years and years, known Ursa as well.

"Do you think you could get him to see me?" Katara asked, cringing every time a crinkled lock of hair fell to the ground.

"I have been, I told him . . . I told him, 'You know, Katara's mother was murdered too, she understands what you're feeling better than any of us, you should talk to her, she'll make you feel better, I just know it."

"And?" Katara was surprised and ashamed at the unmasked desperation in her voice. Ty Lee put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, catching her eyes through the mirror.

"And I think you should leave him alone for a while."

"What? No! Why?!" Katara grabbed the acrobat's arm in a painful clinch.

"Ow! Katara! Look . . . he is angry, really angry. You should wait until he cools off."

"I've dealt with an angry Zuko before." Katara's death grip subsided and she turned back to the mirror. She didn't ask the air bender anything else about her boyfriend, and the air bender didn't volunteer anything else.

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The next day, after worrying herself into a tizzy of maternal concern, she and Toph tromped to Zuko's room and banged on the door. Looking back, she realized that it was probably all Toph's fault, she had talked her into it. They had been spending a lot of time together by default, and the tiny earth bender had advised her to confront her problem head on. That would not have been a problem in itself, Zuko took his responsibilities seriously, and wouldn't take offense at the reminder that no woman came before his obligations, not his girlfriend, not his hypothetical daughters, not even his mother. The problem was, Katara had been getting more and more frustrated with the cold shoulder she was given, and it was upsetting her more than it should have. Usually she was very understanding and self sacrificing, but this hit a nerve and she wasn't sure why.

So after said tromping and banging, she called through the metal, "Zuko, it's me, I need to talk to you. Let me in."

"The Lord has requested no visitors." The guard told her apologetically.

"Oh, like hell," Toph told him, "Sparky! You open up now or I'm sending Katara in after you!"

"Go away." The muffled shout was barely audible.

Ignoring his order, Katara grabbed the handle, when the doors proved to be locked, she kicked it hard.

"Master Benders, I'm afraid I'm going to have to escort you-"

"Oh can it, Eyebrow, you couldn't take us if you tried, and we all know it!" Toph laced her fingers and rotated her wrists, cracking all her knuckles before placing her hands on the double doors and concentrating. Katara heard a click and the portal swung open.

"Good luck, Sweetness." Toph had told her before turning her back, politely dissuading the guard from chasing after her. Rolling her eyes, Katara closed the door behind her and after a short hesitation, locked it.

The drapes were pulled, and closing the door had plunged her into almost complete darkness. Crossing her arms, she waited for her eyes to adjust. Zuko was watching her, she saw his gold eyes glint green like a cat's in the moonlight, and she walked over to him.

"Zuko . . . how are you feeling?" She sat down next to him on the bed, following his gaze out the window.

He didn't respond.

"I bet you're angry. You have every right to be. I'm really sorry, it's like, a part of you has died. Everything hurts, your muscles, your chest, your heart, everything, it's hard to move, it's hard to breathe . . ." Katara reached up to tuck some of his hair behind his ear, but he knocked her hand away.

"Don't."

"You feel like you'll never be happy again," Katara continued, looking down and pulling her knees to her chin, "It's . . . unbearable."

"So, what does it feel like?" Zuko's voice was dripping with venom, "You stole the last few hours she had on this earth from me! How could you, Katara?! I thought you loved me!"

Katara closed her eyes, the envy in his voice cutting through her. She considered explaining that it had just been coincidence, but she knew the explanation would fall on deaf ears.

"Well . . ." Katara could feel Ursa's charge affecting her even then, "She was kind but distant, she was at peace with herself. I got the impression that she knew what she was going to do . . . She must have told Iroh, that's why he was too upset to travel. 'A recent burn from an old flame is not as healed as I thought. It makes my chest ache, and I do not feel up to the voyage. I have a sinking feeling that it is contagious, and may soon ensnare us all . . .'" She recited it, they had both read and reread it enough times to commit it to memory.

"Contagious . . ." Zuko repeated, looking at his hands, the envy in his tone melting to disgust, "that's one word for it."

"Please talk to me? It's not healthy to lock yourself in your room." Again she tried to reach out, and again he knocked her hand away.

"Oh? And what would you know about what's good for me?! What did you do when you suddenly found yourself half an orphan?!"

"I helped Gran Gran with her work, I threw myself into helping my tribe!" Katara felt her temper spike and her face flush, it had been a low blow on the Fire Bender's part, "I grew up that day in a lot of ways! You sound like Sokka."

"Get out Katara, this is all your fault! Because of you, my mother is dead!" He had sprung up from where he sat, intent on getting as far from her as the room would spatially allow. It stung, it stung badly because part of her agreed with him. Part of her blamed herself, her cycle of vulnerability or not, Ursa had died on her watch.

"I wanted you to find your mother more than ANYTHING!!" Katara was angry by then, she knew he was speaking in anger, but he was a grown man, and that was no excuse, "I dropped everything to help you!! I rode across the Earth Kingdom! I learned a new technique! I interrogated your father! I did EVERYTHING I could!!"

"I know. You did, you did all those things." Zuko's voice had returned to calm, the placidity of one who knew they had won the argument, "But that doesn't mean that it's not your fault my mother is dead. _Get out _Katara, I don't even want to look at you."

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"It's not your fault!" Toph jumped up as the water bender stormed out and past her, "He is an idiot. He is deranged, he is mad with grief and doesn't know what he is saying. I should go in and knock some sense into him . . . Hey! Katara, where are you going?!" The taller girl was taking large fast steps, and Toph found herself joking to keep up.

It was the use of her name, not a nickname, more than anything else that made her turn and look at her younger friend.

"Where am I going?" Katara turned, knocking a tear from her traitorous eyes, "I'm going to Ba Sing Se."

"You're running away!?" Toph sounded scandalized.

"No." Katara turned and continued her incensed trek down the hallway, "He can't stand to be near me, but someone needs to talk him through his misery, so I am going to go get the only person in the world he WILL listen to."

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June sat in her room that the Fire Lord, or more accurately, his steward had provided her. She only planned to stay long enough for Nyla to recover, but the beds were so soft, and most of the guards so terrified of her, that she had found it a bit difficult to justify leaving. Anyways, The food was free, and it wasn't like the Fire Lord would actually notice or care about her presence.

Also, it was relatively safe in the castle, once she left, she felt sure she would be dragged before the high council to make some sort of statement. There was nothing they could do though, not without breaking their code. Ursa had taken care of Azula, like she was ordered to, it was just nobody had expected her to die in the process.

It had taken her several hours to track down the damn ostrich horse, and the prize for her effort, Ursa's saddlebags, sat on the desk.

Try as she might, the bounty hunter had not been able to bring herself to open it. The tall woman with the grey streaked hair and unfriendly disposition still too clear in her memory. It seemed, sacrilegious, like she was stealing something off of a dead body.

Still, she did want to have a look before she forked it over to the scarred boy. She would get in trouble if anyone found the note directing Ursa to eliminate her daughter. Technically, as the only other member on the scene, it was up to her to destroy all traces of their existence. June never really sweat the details though.

With a loud sigh, and a louder grunt, the bounty hunter stood and picked up the leather packs, unbuckled their fastenings, and dumped them out onto her bed. The comb, a picture of her children, and her change of cloths fell out, along with Ursa's dagger, and the letter. When she picked it up however, she realized that there were two pieces of paper folded together.

The first was the one from Ursa's superiors, it contained her orders, and June pocketed it guiltlessly. She would burn it later. The other was written in what had to have been Ursa's delicate hand, it had a 'snob school calligraphy' look to it.

Strangely enough, it was addressed to Zuko.

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**Because chakras always look like metaphysical hoola hoops to me the way they move in a person's aura.**

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**I still don't know how I feel about Zuko. The situation is very unforgiving to OOCness. I tried to establish early on his cycle of blaming and being angry at people while he tries to cope. That's something he does in the series, usually taking it out on Iroh the anger he is feeling (but can't express) towards his father.**

**I tried to run with that pattern here. He is furious with Azula (understatement), but since she is presumed dead, he can't "vent to her" so to speak. I imagine such venting would involve strangling. So he is taking it out on the only other person who was really involve, Katara. (Also, he is insanely jealous of her time with his mother.) Unfortunately, Katara is not as strong and understanding as Iroh . . . I think she will be, though, when she is as old as him.**

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**Soooo, that's about all, I hope you liked it!! Brownie Points for anyone who can guess the final original character. **

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**Other than that, just R&R!!**


	30. Chapter 30: The Letter

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: R

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** This is a fan made project, I didn't create any of this. I don't claim it as my own. But you should definitely go buy Avatar merchandise, mainly because it rocks.

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**Chapter 30: The Letter**

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Stuffing things back into her backpack, Katara couldn't help but cry, the quarter moon had risen, and with it, both her hormones and her bending. She knew he didn't mean it, she knew he was distraught; she knew he would be angry at her for a while and it was normal, but it didn't make it sting any less.

He was right.

Katara paused in her frantic packing, she had to think of a way to make it up to him. She couldn't bring Ursa back from the dead, she couldn't avenge her death, she couldn't even support him. He wouldn't let her.

Poking through her bag, she pulled out the strange necklace Ursa had given her. Lifting it up, it caught the last of the light and sparkled happily. In a sudden fit of frustration and self loathing, Katara threw it across the room.

It bounced against the far wall, and then rolled end over end, disappearing under her vanity table. With a grunt, Katara crossed the room and got down on her hands and knees, reaching into the darkness for it. After several minutes of fishing, she managed to hook her fingers through the string, and retrieve it.

Almost impulsively, she reached it up and fastened it around her neck marveling at the juxtaposition of it against her olive skin and her travel cloths. Even more curious was the fact that, as soon as it was on her neck, she heard the strangest sounds floating faintly out across the water of the bay.

It stopped her in her tracks, and she rushed out to the balcony, leaning far out over the railing to try to hear more clearly. It was a seductive, tuneless, and enchanting; it made her want to rush to the water and throw herself into the waves to find their source. The urge was nearly unstoppable, and she found herself slipping a leg over the railing, intent to jump off.

Terrified, Katara yanked the thing from her neck, breaking the clasp in her haste, and went to put it back into her pack, the very bottom of it. Sighing loudly, she straightened and looked at herself once again in the mirror.

She couldn't give him his mother, but maybe she could give him the next best thing.

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She had no idea how long she had drifted.

She had no idea where she was.

She had no idea what to do.

Memories . . . jumbled at best, and non existent at worst. She remembered heat, fire, pain, and she remembered anger, in fact, she still felt angry, she burned with it, she couldn't remember why though.

She was cold.

It was ungodly cold.

It was teeth chattering, lips bluing, finger numbingly cold.

There had been a fall, then hands on her . . . pulling her away from the light . . . pulling her into the dark; the cold; the deep.

She remembered _it_ though, obscenely clear. At first she had thought it was a great white shark, it's skin was blue, rubbery, and smooth like that of a shark, and it's eyes obsidian black, not just the center like hers but all of it, it had no iris or white. It's fingers were webbed and clawed, and the strange, grotesque gills on it's neck opened and closed as it breathed. Black hair, long black hair like seaweed floated around it's head, and it's chest and underbelly had a lighter, bluish white coating it.

She had screamed, she couldn't help it, and wasted all the oxygen in her system, and no longer had breath to fight with.

She had struggled; tried to reach the surface, but he wouldn't let her go. He towed her deeper and deeper into the underwater darkness, further and further from the shore. There was no air, no way to reach the rocks, she felt herself drowning. Her vision had blurred, and the images swam as her brain shut down.

Then there was nothing but blackness.

The ground was bitterly cold, and she rolled onto her back, and the discomfort faded. She tried to open her eyes, but only one complied.

Ice. _Everywhere_.

That was almost worse than the water . . .

She remembered her head pillowed on the horrid creature's chest, it was swimming on it's back, dragging her and stroking the water strongly with it's free arm. There was no shore in sight anywhere on the horizon, and the water was chilled.

Snow . . . She was clearly no longer in the warm, tropical waves of the . . . where had she been? It was on the tip of her tongue, just out of reach.

_I must have come from SOMEWHERE . . . _she thought blankly, _It was the most monumental place in the world . . . I just . . ._

There had been someone else.

Someone important.

Someone important she had to find, or had she found her already?

Something grunted, and she swiveled her head, her cooperative eye falling on the _thing_, the monster. It was laying on it's stomach on the ice like some sort of blue ocean seal, propped up on it's elbows. It had no legs . . . how had she not noticed earlier? That seemed like something important. Opening it's mouth in a mimic of a smile, it revealed row after row of sharp teeth. It had to be copying what it had seen humans do, as it didn't get the motion quite right, and the result was more sickening than reassuring.

Rearing up like a cobra, it leaned closer, and she instinctively tried to move away. Instead of coming towards her though, it crawled back to the water, dragging itself on it's hands and . . . tail.

"Next time we meet, Granddaughter, I'll kill you."

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Someone was banging on his door.

They all just needed to leave him alone. He wanted to be alone. Why wouldn't they leave him alone?

"Fire Lord, the Bounty Hunter June wishes to speak to you."

"I have nothing to say to her." Zuko called vacantly and pulled the blankets up over his head.

"Oi, Zuko-"

"Fire Lord Zuko." The guard corrected her.

"I found Ursa's ostrich horse," June continued as though he had not said anything, "I have her things, but I guess if you won't see me, I can go throw them in the ocean and be done-"

Both doors flung open, and the disheveled, puffy eyed, unshaven Fire Lord emerged.

"Give them to me!" It was the first bit of interest he had shown towards anything in over a week.

June grinned, usually men were easy to handle if you gave them the proper incentive. If they do something right, they get a reward. Of course she hadn't learned that in the context of dealing with men, but rather training her Shirshu, but dog-moles and men were surprisingly similar on their most basic levels. June reminded herself to get the water bender an animal training scroll for her wedding present, as the Fire Lord responded very well to the commands.

"I don't have them WITH me, the bags are in my room. Why don't you wash up and shave, and I'll show you what I found?"

"No, we'll go now. Which guest suite are you staying in?"

"Jeez. Zuko, have some respect." June crossed her arms and pretended to look horrified, "These are your _mother's_ things!! You're going to show up with a week's worth of sweat and tears and grease to paw through them? What's wrong with you?"

He glared at her for several minutes, then turned to his guard, "Summon my staff, have them pick out some clean robes and lay them out on my bed."

"And tell them to bring new sheets while they're at it." June told him, crossing her arms and switching her weight to her right hip.

It took less time then expected. The servants bustled in and out, drew the curtains, hauled the drapes open, and generally brightened up the room. As she waited in the hallway, June mulled over whether or not anyone had told the haughty little boy that his girlfriend had split a few days earlier. Probably not, he was being such a jerk to everyone that they had been giving him his space. June rolled her eyes, she had buried her father herself after he had been killed. Her and Nyla had dug and dug and then she had dragged his body into the hole, and she had buried him and then she had cried and cried. Then she had gotten up, washed the dirt off her arms, and seen about finding herself and Nyla some dinner, as life must go on.

Dusting himself off, Zuko stumbled out of his room for the first time in almost a week, squinting in the sudden light. June nodded in unenthusiastic appreciation.

They walked in silence, and the older bounty hunter wondered if she was supposed to say something. All his friends had been trying to talk to him with mixed results, and she decided that if they couldn't console him, she had no chance at all of doing so either.

"Here." She pulled the saddlebags out letting them dangle precariously from her first two fingers. She swung them back and forth tantalizingly, and the young man's eyes followed them like a cat.

"Watch it!" Zuko grabbed the bags, his hands shaking.

"You might want to go through them in your office." June crossed her arms smugly, amused by his carrying on, "Your servants are bustling through your rooms right now, you know, cleaning stuff, you'll get zero privacy."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Before the scarred noble could leave the room, however, there was a flurry of footfalls outside the door, and suddenly, Toph, Sokka, Aang, Momo, and Ty Lee burst in, nearly tripping over each other to simultaneously squeeze through the doorway. Ty Lee and Aang, were by far the most nimble, and made it first, Sokka, being the largest and most ungainly was trampled a bit in the process.

"See," Toph declared, "I told you he left his room."

"Zuko, I'm glad you're feeling better, maybe we didn't need to send for Iroh after all." Ty Lee bounced up and down and clasped her hands under her chin, her fingers laced in delight.

"Why did you summon my uncle?"

"Umm . . . Toph, didn't you tell him?" Aang shifted uncomfortably, as though he could sense a confrontation brewing.

"Tell me what?"

"I thought Sokka would. They have the manly bonding thing going on."

"But you were the one who was there!"

"Did you guys send a messenger hawk to him?" Zuko asked dully, "I haven't yet, I know I should have, I just . . . couldn't . . . I hope you were delicate about it. He is getting older, and it is going to be a shock. Though . . . I don't know . . . I think he knew already. He probably knew the instant she showed up on his doorstep that she was there to say goodbye."

Aang put a hand on the older boy's shoulder, "Well, we didn't send him a messenger hawk. Katara went to tell him the news in person."

Zuko visibly tensed, then snapped a short, "I'm going to my study," before brushing out of the room.

...

...

...

Katara leaned out into the wind, letting it wash away all her memories of the previous week. Since she wasn't a fire bender, she couldn't take one of the amazingly fast one person airships, and somehow got stuck with the whole royal procession, and it had taken longer than she thought it would. She had argued that she wasn't royalty, so would have no use for the entourage, but Zuko's steward had reminded her that Iroh was royalty, and it would be scandalous for him to travel on royal business without it. So the jaunt that was supposed to take a day or two was slowly stretching to the better part of a week, and it would probably be nearly a fortnight until they looped around and arrived back at the Fire Nation.

Ba Sing Se looked beautiful from the air, but she felt her stomach tie into an apprehensive knot as the ship glided closer and closer. What was she going to tell Iroh? How would she break the news to him? What if she couldn't convince him to drop everything and visit the Fire Nation? What if he blamed her too? Katara was so lost in thought that the sudden drop of her stomach that marked the beginning of their descent took her completely by surprise.

The tea shop, the redesigned Jasmine Dragon, was situated in the upper ring, in one of the most fashionable plazas. Therefore, it was a short walk from the aerodome, and shorter still because Katara ran most of the way. She had insisted, successfully this time due to the strategic use of bursting into tears, that the procession stay with the ship. Iroh would want to hear the news in private.

Since the afternoon was young, the cafe was filled with older men, most of which were playing Pai Sho with each other, and sipping thoughtfully on their mugs. Iroh was leaning over the board of one of the men, giving advice, a tray filled with tea mugs perched precariously on the fingertips of his left hand.

Katara cleared her throat, and Iroh turned, the cheerful smile that had played across his lips vanished, and was replaced with a look of pride.

"Young Lady Katara, please come in and have a seat," He pulled a chair out from one of the tables and motioned to it, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company? Where is my nephew . . . or have you parted ways for now?"

"Thank you," Katara sank down catching her breath, then tried to whisper so the old men across the floor couldn't hear, "I need to talk to you, I have bad news."

"Of course you do." Iroh told her, sitting down in the chair across from her, "You were searching for Ursa after all. That woman has bad news tied to her apron strings. She means well though, now, tell me, did you find her?"

"She found me."

"Are you hurt?"

"_I'm_ fine, but . . . Iroh, she's dead." As she talked, Katara picked at her fingernails nervously and looked acutely out the window, "Azula too, they burnt and drowned. I was . . . I should have . . . Spirits, I messed things up so badly."

"How is my nephew handling it?"

Katara looked up, searching the older man's face for hatred or blame, but he seemed only concerned; concerned and sad. With another long stare out the window and a deep breath, the young water bender fielded that one too.

"He's not well. He wont leave his room, he won't eat, he won't sleep, he's angry all the time or depressed. He's either a volcano or a zombie." Katara chewed on her lip, "He agrees that I'm responsible for Ursa's demise."

"I thought my nephew understood that finding someone to blame solves nothing . . ." Iroh shook his head, "Of course, old habits die hard, and In times of extreme stress, we tend to revert back to them."

"Iroh, I'm sorry, I know Ursa . . . I know she . . . and you . . . sort of . . ." Katara groped for words, " . . . were close."

"So, you came to deliver me the news in person?"

"Well . . ." Katara glanced over at the patrons again, but they seemed engrossed in their game, and paid her no mind, "A few weeks ago, Zuko was showing me things in his study . . . like, population charts, and trade routes, and he was talking about the recession the Nation is in . . . how the population is skyrocketing . . ."

"Yes, he and I have corresponded a good deal on the problems he faces." Iroh looked like he knew what she was going to ask, but was going to force her to ask it anyway.

"I think he needs help. He isn't in any condition to run a country, especially not a crumbling one." Katara's fingers had moved from picking at each other to playing with her armguards, "I know he wont be pleased about me asking, but I think he needs your help. I was hoping you would fly back to the palace and help put things in order. I know you have your tea shop that you want to run, but it won't be permanent, just a few weeks until he is back on his feet."

The old fire bender gave her a warm smile, "Of course, Katara, I would be honored to help Zuko, he is my kin, but you must give me a few days to shut down and board up the place."

"I was hoping you could leave sooner than that. It's a really slow airship. Why don't I stay and close up the shop for you?" Katara offered, she kept telling herself that she wanted to arrive a few days later so Iroh would have a chance to calm Zuko down without her. She knew she was lying to herself though. Deep down, she knew she was scared and therefore procrastinating.

"Oh, that would be lovely, I'll write down what needs doing." Iroh seemed just as anxious to be on the airship as Katara was to be off it.

"Wait! Before you go," She reached into her tunic and pulled out the necklace the woman had given her, "Do you know what this is? Ursa gave it to me."

Iroh stopped in his tracks, his features rested into a deep frown.

"Don't put it on." He told her, "Ever."

...

...

...

Sitting on his chair behind his locked study door, Zuko stared at the saddlebags, almost afraid to open them. Was this it? After a lifetime of living and loving, these two bags were all that was left of his mother's life? It blew him away how someone's legacy could be reduced to a few worthless things.

He undid the clasps reverently, and pulled out his mother's possessions. The change of cloths was old and ratty but there was no mistaking the high quality. They must have been expensive travel cloths when she first bought them. He buried his nose into them, breathing in deeply.

They still smelled like her.

Her lingering scent brought with it the memories, and Zuko felt his eyes sting again, and he quickly blinked them away.

Setting them aside, he pulled out an expensive comb, several of her hairs still clung to it, tangled between it's teeth. He turned it to catch the light, admiring the carving of the back, it was decorated with fire coral, and carved into the likeness of a dragon. Zuko recognized it as something his father had given her as a present when he and Azula were little. Ursa had cooed and fussed over it, and placed it into her hair, and Zuko remembered Azula had wanted to touch it, but Ursa wouldn't let her.

Next he pulled out a dagger and hurriedly set it aside. He didn't want to think about his mother hurting anyone.

At the bottom, the last thing he found was a painted picture, he pulled it out and unrolled it, and a leaf of paper fell out and fluttered down into his lap. Curiously, he picked up the slip of paper, reading the symbols of his name on the front. Holding his breath, he opened it.

_Zuko,_

_Please do not search for me again, there are things about my circumstances that you don't understand. If things change, Azula and I will return to you. For now, behave as though we are dead._

_I love you very much and always will._

_Ursa_

He read and reread it, losing count of how many times he had scanned the page.

It made no sense.

He folded it back up carefully and tucked it into his robes. Pulling his hair from his topknot, he massaged his head, trying to puzzle through it. What was going on?

Looking down, he saw for the first time the piles of paper stacked up on his desk. Reaching out he picked up the top leaf and read it. _Maybe if I do a little paperwork, I'll figure it out._

...

...

...

Katara placed the last of the boards over Iroh's window and hammered it into place. It was pretty much the last thing she had to do. She had talked to a neighbor about when and how much to water the old master's plants in his garden, she had brought the vats of tea that were cold brewing to the basement and covered them, she had put the chairs on top of the tables and covered them, and she had talked to the baker about canceling Iroh's order for cakes indefinitely. The old man had been cranky about it, but refused to let her pay for the sweets he had already made, saying he would take it up with Iroh when the man returned.

One thing she had not done, however was to request an audience with the Earth King to ask for an airship. After a little thought, and then a lot of trying to talk herself out of it, Katara decided that she could go back on foot. She had crossed the country before, granted though, not all by herself. She did, however, feel perfectly capable of handling herself though. It seemed an especially good idea due to the fact that she seemed to be adding to the problem, and not the solution.

She had forgone the Emu Horse, and instead bought a buffalo deer. It wasn't just that they were native to the tundra of the north and south, she also felt that their four legged gaits were a lot smoother than the Emu Horse's two legged ones. It was a large male, and she could barely see over it's withers to brush and tack it, but it was soft, docile, and had such pretty horns.

Taking one last inventory of the place, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything, she led her new steed out to the front of the building and swung up. The Buffalo Deer, which she nicknamed 'Shaggy boy' in her head, tossed it's antlers and exhaled loudly.

"Oh stop." Katara muttered, "I don't weigh _that_ much. Like you have any ground to stand on, you weigh like, a ton." With a squeeze of her leg and a slight tug on the reigns, Katara was off, destination the Fire Nation, by way of Omashu.

...

...

...

The whole court was waiting at the balcony to see the homecoming of General Iroh, Dragon of the West. News traveled fast among the courtiers, and they cheered as the airship came into view. Zuko, standing on the sidelines, felt only annoyance. He wished Katara had not run off to get his uncle. It made it look like he couldn't handle governing the Fire Nation by himself.

Iroh walked down the gangplank and bowed to him, then placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a friendly pat, and the Fire Lord's annoyance dissipated. Good naturedly, he returned the gesture, he really had missed the old coot.

"Zuko, It's been too long." Iroh fell in step beside his nephew as they made their way back into the palace, "I am sorry for your loss."

"Our loss."

"She will be missed. How are you handling it?"

"Ok, I guess."

"The lovely Lady Katara said that you were blaming her. She was most distressed about it."

"It's her fault." Zuko snapped, his happiness dissipating like smoke, leaving him feeling hollow and resentful.

"Is it now?" the old man asked rhetorically, then fell into a thoughtful silence.

They had reached the palace, and the guards bowed as they passed. Falling back a step, Iroh let the Fire Lord lead the way.

"Come with me to my study, and I'll show you the market graphs, I have been having trouble feeding everyone. I'm going to have to cap the children a woman can have or everyone will starve during the rainy season. I'll have the staff move your luggage to one of the guest rooms," Zuko droned, "They already know where Katara's things go."

"She did not return with me." Iroh told him, "She volunteered to stay and close up my shop. I think you have given her a bit of a fright."

Zuko frowned, "That's not like her."

"She'll be along soon enough," Iroh scratched his chin, "I have heard some rumors that you and she-"

"Enough, Uncle."

"May I ask a question?"

"What?!"

"As far as I heard from some of the ranking generals, you and Katara tried to find Yon Rha before the war ended. Why?" Iroh asked, stroking his sideburns.

"We didn't try to find him. We did find him. He killed Katara's mother and I wanted to . . ." Zuko trailed off, suddenly unwilling to finish the sentence. He quickened his pace, trying to outrun the rest of the conversation. The guards in front of his office stood to attention, and one opened the door for the two Noblemen.

"Why would you search for him?" Iroh asked, then turned to thank the guard as the man closed the door behind them.

Zuko sighed, tapping a pile of papers, straightening them, "I don't know, she, well, she was mad at me. She blamed me for Kya's death."

"Hmm, interesting." Iroh held out his hand, and Zuko gave him the stack of papers.

"I know what you're doing!! Stop it! You can forget it!!"

"I'm not doing anything," Iroh told him innocently, "When were these numbers drawn? Yesterday?"

"You are trying to make me feel guilty!"

"I'm trying to make you see clearly through the clouds of anger and sadness behind your eyes." Iroh scratched his stomach and sat down in Zuko's chair, reaching for a pen.

Zuko grumbled something about stubborn water benders.

"I'm sure you will make the right decision and make me proud," Iroh told him, then when Zuko glared, he pointed to one of the papers, "as to whether or not to pass this bill."

They worked in silence for a little over an hour, or, more accurately, Iroh waded through the paperwork while Zuko pretended to read the reports piled up. He couldn't concentrate, his mind kept wandering back to Ursa's letter to him. He hadn't been able to think of anything else for the past few days.

Finally, sitting there with Iroh, it dawned on him. Ursa had wanted to fake her and Azula's death, that's what the burning and fall had been. There was no way to plan it, Ursa must have improvised and sacrificed her skin for her safety. She must have hit her skull on the rocks accidentally as she fell.

The rage struck him so abruptly that he stood and screamed a mouthful of fire, creating a huge scorch mark on the ceiling. Turning he grabbed the chair he had been sitting on and threw it across the room. It created a satisfying crunch when it made a hole in the wall near the door.

"Zuko!! What are you doing?!" his uncle ducked, surprised at the sudden, unprovoked outburst.

Ursa had meant to fake her death!

That meant Azula was still alive.

That meant his mother's _murderer_ was still alive.

"She's alive!"

"Zuko, Ursa is gone, she rests in the spirit world with-"

"Azula's alive!!" Zuko banged his fists on the desk so hard that the papers jumped, "Where's Katara?!"

"Nephew, I believe you're overtired, Katara is in Ba Sing Se, Azula is at the bottom of the ocean." Iroh walked over and put his hands on his nephew's shoulders, pressing him down into another chair, "You should rest."

Zuko obliged, sinking back down into the chair, but he shifted restlessly back and forth, eyes still blazing, mind working furiously. Where would the tides have dragged her? Where would she run? She would need medical help, where would she find it? Did she really survive?!

...

...

...

As Zuko paced down the hallway, a somber Sokka was waiting for him at his door. The younger boy kept touching the hilt of his sword anxiously, and his face flooded with relief upon seeing his friend.

"Can we talk?"

"Can it wait?" Him and Iroh had finally caught up with the economy, and the older man was really proving his mettle, solving most of the problems that had left Zuko stumped. The whole process was exhausting.

"No." Zuko watched as the younger boy crossed the room and pulled the curtains, letting the morning light flow in. "Katara hasn't come back yet."

"I know." Even though he kept his voice calm, Zuko felt a twinge of panic. He hadn't wanted her to leave completely. He had just wanted to hurt her feelings, to make her sorry.

"She isn't coming back."

"What?! She's coming back. What makes you think she isn't?!" How could she run away and leave him alone? Why would she do that to him?! He had thought she was more honorable than that, running away was beneath her.

"It's been three weeks since she left to fetch Iroh, so where is she? Listen," Sokka confessed, "There is something I didn't tell you that night that you asked about our Mom. Remember? Before you both went to find the Southern Raiders?"

Zuko paused, taken aback "What?"

"Katara was the last one to see her alive." Sokka looked at his feet, tracing the floor with his toe and looking guilty, "I . . . well, I held it against her for a long time."

"So?"

"Well," Sokka reddened with shame, "I never told her outright that I blamed her for our mother's death and that I hated that I didn't get to say goodbye and she did. I acted it though . . . For a few years, I was a jerk about it to her, I wouldn't talk to her, or if I did I made snide comments, I would hide her things and tell her she lost them, I would push her in the snow when we played 'chase'. I was confused, and sad, and we were only little kids. It's water long under the bridge now."

"So?" Zuko repeated again.

"'So?'! So, I think she has a little bit of a complex about it!!" Sokka yelled, ". . . and she's run away."

"She left weeks ago, why didn't you tell me then?!"

"Toph told me she had gone to get Iroh in Ba Sing Se, we thought it was an errand. It wasn't until this afternoon that I realized she wasn't coming back."

"How did you figure that out?" Zuko asked, unimpressed. Surely Katara would borrow one of the earth king's air ships. She was friends with the Avatar and an honored hero that fought in the war. Of course the Earth King would supply her with what she needed.

"Follow me."

Zuko glanced longingly at his room for a moment, but the stress of Katara's alleged desertion outweighed his fatigue, and he stumbled off after his girlfriend's older brother. He was walking him to her room, the one he had given her, though Zuko could not for the life of him understand why.

"I went in to make sure that her cloths were cleaned and the fruits replaced for when she came back." The water tribesman explained, "and that's when I figured it out." He pressed the currently unguarded door open, and pointed for Zuko to enter first.

At first, the Fire Lord didn't notice anything out of place, and he had no idea what Sokka was going on about. Her cloths and possessions were all neatly laid out on the table where she had left them, probably from inventorying what she wanted to take with her for the few days she would be airborne. The Fire Nation silks were in a neat pile, next to them were an extra pair of travel cloths, training cloths, extra under wrappings, sleeping dresses . . .

Then he spotted it, a glint of blue against the burgundy of her pillows.

Her mother's necklace.

...

...

...

Katara flattened out the map on the grass, near where her mount was grazing.

"See, we crossed the ferry a week ago, then we went south west, so that should put us about . . . here." She pointed to the outskirts of the Si Wong desert, "Maybe we can reach Omashu in another two weeks if we're lucky, we'll have to stay at the oasis for the new moon though. Spirits I hate planning around this girl time."

The draft animal shook it's ears placidly, then scratched it's nose on one of it's feathered ankles. With a sigh, Katara turned back to the map, her eyes falling onto a farmiliar dark green squiggle.

"Or, you know, we could swing by the swamp, it would only take a few extra days." She told the beast, "You wouldn't like it there, Shag-stag, it's so hot, we would have to give you a haircut . . ."

Katara chewed her lower lip, although she had been joking, suddenly, she very much wanted to go back to the foggy mire. She wanted to see her friends again, she wanted to finish learning swamp style bending, and she wanted to bitch to a bunch of women how stupid Zuko was behaving.

The desert part of the detour didn't take long, after staying her bendingless moon time at the oasis, they just bore a little more to the south than they needed to. It wasn't long before the sand gave way to mud, and the mud gave way to marsh. The Buffalo Deer's large feet were surprisingly deft at staying on top of the mud, and his long fur kept the bugs from biting him. Unfortunately, the beast did not seem to fully understand the concept of 'vines' and Katara repeatedly needed to untangle the creature's horns from the forest canopy.

Since she was approaching from the east and not the north, Katara had little bearings as to how to find the temple to the moon. All she knew was that she _felt_ like she was going the right way. She spent days wandering blankly, and was about to give up, when out of the blue in the last of the sunlight, she and her pet stumbled onto the bank of the temple lake.

...

...

...

She tried to sit up, but her body didn't cooperate. Her back, the backs of her arms, her legs, the right side of her face, it all wouldn't move, it all hurt. The ice she lay on felt good against it though, and she managed to roll so that most of her was flush against it.

Opening her working eyelid, she looked at her hand and screamed. Or tried to. Her throat was raw, and little sound issued forth from it. The appendage in question was swollen almost beyond recognition, it had soaked up the water and her skin had expanded painfully. Flipping it over in horror, she found the backside was white, jagged, and serrated, oozing fluids even though she was freezing. It was dotted with scabs and peeling skin, and it too had doubled in size. In places along her arm, her skin was torn, and she could see the white glint of bone poking through.

This time, the scream came.

She pulled herself onto her elbows, intent to stand and run, but the pain of all her weight on the burnt flesh was too intense and she collapsed back down onto the ice. Her shrieks of terror melted to sobs of pain, and then dissolved into hyperventilation. With her energy spent, her eyelids became heavy, and she felt sleep settling in on her, a sleep she wouldn't wake up from.

"May the spirits be merciful!!"

Opening her eye, she saw a figure, she hadn't heard him walk up over her sobs, but he must have heard her screams and come running. He was tall, dark, clad in furs, and in one of his hands he clutched a spear, the other hand was clamped firmly over his mouth, intent on keeping the contents of his stomach, well, in his stomach. His hair was shoulder length and black, and she knew she knew his species, but couldn't remember where. What she did feel clearly was the sudden surge of superiority she felt. How dare he behave in such a manner? How dare he become nauseous at the sight of her!

"What happened to you?!" He finally inquired, "You look half drowned . . . and half charred . . ."

"I don't remember. I fell . . . somewhere." She glared at him with her good eye.

Crouching down, he seized her chin, and she screamed again, fresh pain cutting up her burnt cheek where his thumb pressed.

"Gold eyes." His dark eyes turned disgusted, "You're Fire Nation aristocracy." He began stripping off his parka, undoing the furry ties in a hurry.

"Don't touch me!" She commanded, how barbaric would one have to be to rape a dying girl?!

"Ha! Don't flatter yourself," He snapped back, although her chest and torso were surprisingly unmarred, and had her face not been burnt beyond recognition, and her heritage clearly undesirable, he might have considered it, "I wouldn't touch one of your kind with a ten foot pole, I almost drowned a year ago during the siege. You need to see a healer, I'm taking you to the medicine woman. Stand up."

"You idiot," Her temper flared, and the ice around her began to hiss and melt, "Don't you think I would have stood up already if I could?"

He didn't appear to listen to her protests, he took one of her arms and forced it into the parka, ignoring her verbal tirade. Her vision swam again, this time from the pain of having something pressed against her, and she dropped back into blissful unconsciousness.

...

...

...

It was nightfall by the time Katara reached the temple, but many of her acquaintances were there to meet her already.

"'Tara, ya cut your hair!"

"Where's Zuko?"

"What's that animal? It's so perdy!"

"Y'all okay? Ya look sad."

Katara tried to field the barrage of questions the best she could, explaining that it was a Buffalo Deer from the north pole, that she didn't exactly cut her hair, and that Zuko was in the Fire Nation. The led her into one of the common areas and one of the girls left to fetch her cooler cloths, and Katara proceeded to fill them in on what had happened after they had left the swamp. She recounted questioning Ozai, fighting Azula, and then Ursa's untimely death and Zuko's anger.

As she suspected they would be, the girls were quick to chime in about what a jerk he was being, and Katara found herself defending him. She started saying that it was all her fault anyways, and the tears fell, hot and fast.

"Wait here, 'tara." Yeo stood, "I 'ave somethin' that is goin' ta cheer ya up!"

"Y'all should stay here fer a while!" one of the other's suggested, "Until ya'r feelin better."

"I can't. I need to get back, just a few days. I wanted to say hi to Vel and Fae while I'm here."

"Actually, they'all're not 'ere right now, them n a few o the older priestesses went ta the North Pole shortly after y'all left," the third explained, "After hearin about the mistreatment of the youngin girls there, they decided to extend the offer of sisterhood to 'em."

"I'm sure the men will appreciate THAT . . ." Katara muttered, remembering their chauvinism and becoming annoyed at the thought.

"Unfortunately fer them, it ain't their choice."

"Here we are!!" Yeo sashayed back in with a bundle in her arms, "Lil baby no-name, She ain't got a name yet, on account o- er, well, we call her 'Bean', fer two reasons, first, cause she is lumpy like one! Come have a look see, 'tara!!"

Katara stood and leaned over the sleeping infant, and her heart warmed a little. She was so adorable with her dark hair and little tiny nose. She couldn't have been more than a few weeks old.

As she watched, the baby opened a pair of large, slanted, gold eyes, and wailed. As she did so, a crackle of green sparks leapt up from her balled hands, and Katara yanked her head back, startled by the sudden heat.

"Oh yea . . . tha's the second reason we call her 'Bean' . . . cause of the fire bein' the wrong color 'n all." Yeo clarified, smiling and tickling the baby's stomach with her free hand.

**...**

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**Azula's bits are meant to be jumbled, since she cannot remember much, and she keeps blacking out**.

**Why is the pain not unbearable? Azula is mostly numb, she has been naked on the ice for hours.**

_**PLEASE NOTE:**_** I do NOT recommend you google search 'third degree burn' to get an idea of what her body looks like. **

**I do not recommend it at all . . . ::shudders::**

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**Sorry for the long wait, I accidentally burnt my fingers at work, (Oh milk steamer, why did you betray me?!) and haven't been much for typing. **

**Luckily though, school is starting up again, and this will lead to an increase of productivity. I'm not sure why I get more done when I am busy with school work, but I do ******

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**Anyways, leave me one (review) and let me know how you like it!!**


	31. Chapter 31: The Snake Tattoos

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: R

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** This is a fan made project, I didn't create any of this. I don't claim it as my own. But you should definitely go buy Avatar merchandise, mainly because it rocks.

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**Chapter 31**

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"Ohhh, Whooo's shooooo cuuutiee? So, where is her mother?" Katara asked half in baby talk, as the infant sucked happily on one of her fingers. She had followed Yeo out, and the two had discussed everything that had happened while they were walking along the muddy lakeshore.

"Er, 'ell . . ." Yeo suddenly looked uncomfortable and began to toy with one of her necklaces, "She went inta labor 'n the last new moon . . . none 'o us had our bendin, an' even if we did, we don' think we coulda done much. She . . . she bled out."

Katara stared at her blankly.

"She died."

"What?! But, don't your men know healing? Why didn't one of them help her?!" Katara stopped, staring at the other woman, horrified. Another mother died?! How many more?

"Well, y'all weren't here for the new moon, but, the men folk tend ta take a 'huntin' trip round then cause, well, we all have the same cycle, and most of us get a little cranky all t'geter." Yeo scratched the back of her head, "So they make 'emselves scarce."

Katara clutched the child tighter to her chest, protectively, "So . . . what happens to her?"

"She goes ta the Sun Warrior's Temple as soon as she don' need 'er wet nurse no more." Yeo explained, "They'll give 'er a name and raise her up right, you ain't got to worry about a thing." Yeo gestured with her head for Katara to come, and the water bender grudgingly began moving again. As they walked, the swamp bubbled and they both coughed in the sudden stench.

"Why don't you send her to her father?" Katara asked, "He lives in Ba Sing Se."

"Ya can't just bring him a child and throw it at him, he ain't got no idea the li'l Green Bean even exists. Ye plan ta just drop a bomb on him like that? No. She belongs ta the sun warriors. It's tradition."

"It's not MY tradition. It's not HER tradition." Katara mumbled, then glanced out over the green and let out a small, strangled scream. She wasn't sure how she kept from dropping the child out of shock, she chalked it up to maternal instincts, and the startled infant began to wail loudly.

"'Tara, what in the-"

"Look!!" Katara readjusted the child against her and pointed, "It's Hama! What is she doing here?! She is dangerous!! You cant let her stay here!"

"Oh! Yea." Yeo followed her gaze. Hama sat on the ground, rocking back and forth, knees pulled to her chin. Behind her, one of the older women was working on her, her healing waters engulfing the woman's temples as she read her. Another younger one sat cross legged in front of her, apparently working on her hands, though it was hard to tell from the distance what she was doing.

"What is she doing here?!" Katara repeated and didn't bother to mask the hostility in her voice.

"Ain't it obvious? She's here fer healin', her mind was busted up pretty bad. Her hands and feet too. She is gettin' better though, or she was when Vel was workin' with her, she's been sorta plateauin' lately. Keeps mutterin' bout men fire benders 'offerin her a drink' in jail."

"She would! You shouldn't have let her here, she isn't safe. She'll hurt someone."

"From what Vel gathered, she was a prisoner fer the Fire Nation fer years. Poor thing, I can see why she hates them. We hear tell what happens to pretty young ladies when they're in jail, but ya cant just hold on'ta anger like that, it poisons you." Yeo looked pointedly at Katara, and the water bender fumed, not liking what Yeo was implying. SHE did not hold onto anger like that. Usually.

"You sound like Aang." Katara grumbled.

"Why do y'all hate her?" Yeo asked curiously, subtly lifting the baby from Katara's arms in case she tried anything stupid that could result in accidental baby crushing.

"She . . . she taught me a technique. A hideous one." Katara shook her head, "She called it bloodbending. It was an abomination."

"Oh, Yea, Vel found that in a memory too, we're all hopin' ta learn it from Hama once 'er mind is stable again."

"WHAT?!" Katara was yelling by now, her voice cracking, and Yeo was starting to look a little taken aback, "I thought you were all about peace and love, I mean, even your bending style isn't combat centered! It's a dance, for the love of the spirits! How can you condone using blood bending on a person?!"

"Have ya ever stopped ta consider that there is good 'n bad in everythin?!" Yeo had raised her voice a bit now too, mainly to compensate, "Bendin ain't good or evil, it's USED fer good or evil. Bloodbendin aint no different! Y'all could use it to staunch bleedin, fer performin' transfusions, fer keepin' blood from floodin' a shattered area, fer reducing swelling, we think it may ev'in help contain sepsis! Why are ya so black 'n white Katara?!"

It stopped Katara in her tracks, she hadn't ever considered the practical applications of the technique, only the impractical, invasive ones. She felt her face flush with shame, and she turned away from the priestess, refusing to yield.

"Oh, don' throw a pity party, come on. Y'all can visit with Hama once she ain't sick in the head no more." The older girl patted her on her back, "Prolly ain't a good idea fer her to see ya now, don' wanna stir up any bad memories."

"So, what's a transfusion?" She finally asked, after they had walked in silence for several minutes.

"Well, when one person loses too much blood, it's basically takin' blood from someone else 'n putting it into them . . . only, bloods don' always mix so good. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't . . . we ain't sure why." Yeo had begun tickling Naj's baby's stomach and cooing to her softly.

...

...

...

"You have to go find her!!" Zuko yelled at June's back as the bounty hunter saddled her Shirshu. Once the nagging had started, June decided that Nyla was rested enough to head out. Really there was no bed in existence soft enough and no free food rich enough to compensate for having to deal with the Lord hotman and his yearning for his estranged girlfriend.

"No." June tightened her girth placidly.

"I'll pay you your shirshu's weight in gold!!"

"Look, I've had about enough of your idiocy." June glanced over her shoulder, "I'm not taking the bounty. Find someone else."

"Why the hell not?!" Zuko was desperate now, "Double Nyla's weight in gold."

"Sorry. I have a date with a sword master that I have been trying to land for years." June adjusted a stirrup.

His shoulders sagged, and he ran his fingers over the stone of her necklace, "I just . . . I really need to apologize to her. Don't you have a heart?!"

"No."

"I'm sure she'll turn up, Nephew." Iroh interjected, "These things have a way of working themselves out."

"And what if she doesn't come back?!"

"Sucks for you." June finished her adjustments and swung up into the saddle, "Maybe you should put up wanted posters for her. That's pretty much the same as hiring a sword."

"I don't think-"

"I am sure the Lady June is kidding, after all, what woman would not be angry after being hauled across continents back to her impolite boyfriend by a bounty hunter. Let her come back to you on her own, Lady Katara is very brave, and I doubt your boorishness could scare her off for long." Iroh chided him.

Zuko growled to himself in frustration and turned back to the palace proper. He was hurt that Katara had vanished, and annoyed that she hadn't seen fit to write him. He couldn't blame her though, she probably thought he never wanted to see her again. She probably thought he hated her.

"It's been a long time, Uncle, nobody has heard from her." Zuko nervously toyed with the cuff of his robe, "What if she is hurt, what if she is in trouble. It's not like her to run off."

"You really have no idea where she could have gone?" The Dragon of the West smiled serenely at his nephew.

"Why am I so bad at this?!" he asked himself wearily, "Either I am throwing fireballs or I am throwing insults. What if she decided she hates me again? There has to be a reason she isn't coming back . . ."

"Nephew, you are still very young." Iroh told him as they walked, "You will learn how to handle yourself better with women in time. Remember how far you have come since that lovely girl Song?"

"I know."

"I was hoping you were no longer in need of my help. I am anxious to return to The Jasmine Dragon and reopen it. Perhaps you will allow me to embark tomorrow?"

Zuko turned to look at his uncle with his good eye, "Really? So soon?"

"You seem to be back on your feet again, the country's economy is stabilizing, and I see no reason to stay."

"Okay, I guess I'll arrange a convoy for you."

...

...

...

"But, you can see she isn't a danger to anyone in her current condition."

"I don't care! She's a murderer!! Arnook is going to send word to the Fire Lord that she's here as soon as we're positive it's her!"

"Well, until then, she ain't bein' moved! She ain't in no condition fer prison, 'n now she's sleepin, y'all'll just have ta wait ta question her. Y'all even sure she is Royalty?"

Three voices. One was the man, the one who had found her, the one who had forced her tender skinned limbs into the heathen furs he had worn. She no longer felt them scratching across her wounds, but it was hard to tell, her skin pained her so immensely that it was hard to think of anything else. Thankfully, whoever laid her down had put her on her stomach, her good cheek pressed into the blankets, and she felt a cool, soothing caress across her back that eased the hurt.

"She's got those yellow eyes like a man eating arctic wolf! I don't know any more about her than that, I don't NEED to know any more about her than that. Believe me, she is royalty. The letter said that they were both incinerated alive, and she looks pretty disgusting, though, she wouldn't have to be burnt to be repulsive."

It was then that she decided that this arrogant son of a mongoose dragon was her new arch enemy. Nobody talked about her like that, no matter what she looked like. Opening her eyes, she tried to roll over.

"Oh, no, Sweetie, You have to lie still, we're trying to heal you. Some of the scars we can get rid of, but sadly, most of them will be yours to wear for the rest of your life."

"Now look what ya did, ya brute! Y'all woke her up!"

"I can wake her up if I want, she is MY prisoner!! I found her dying carcass!!"

"Well, right now she is MY patient, and I say, y'all can't see her until she is well."

She opened her good eye and tried to yell something insulting at him, but ended up provoking a small but excruciating coughing fit instead, and drenched her fingers with phlegm and salt, and whatever else had worked it's way into her lungs. So much for instilling fear into his very soul, he seemed more amused by her physical agony than anything else. His expression communicated the sort of smugness one felt when they looked at someone who was getting exactly what they deserved.

"Look! Yer upsettin' the patient!! Ya need to get out o my hospice!!" The lanky, fair one was yelling at the warrior furiously, but he seemed unphased. His disrespect only seemed to make the crone angrier.

"She is a murderess, a thief, a liar, and a lunatic, who cares if she is put in a jail cell to rot?! So what if she loses a limb or two to gangrene, it might actually improve her attitude."

"OUT!!" with a sweep of her wrists, the snow under the man's feet conveyed him out the door, and then with another flick, the door was barred by a huge column of ice.

"Well . . . I didn't think it was possible for someone to drift from the Fire Nation to the North Pole. Not even from the northernmost Islands, but it seems you did."

She shifted, touching the skin of her face and was immediately sorry, the pain was severe and immediate.

"I'm Yugoda." The first, dark skinned woman told her, bringing her a glass of water and bending it to her mouth so she could drink, "The woman who just disrespected our traditions and threw out an honored warrior-" At this the accented woman muttered something apologetic, "-out, is Vel. You're very lucky to be alive, what's your name? Do you remember it?"

_Name? _She knew she had had one at one point . . .

"I don't know . . ."

"Oh my," even though she said it, Yugoda didn't seem surprised, "Well, what do you remember?" As she spoke, she smoothed the water across the girl's ravaged shoulder blades and neck.

"I remember . . ." It hurt her head to think about it, but she tried anyway, her own determination spurring her on, "I remember playing volleyball on a beach . . . I think I won."

"Anythin' else?" the lighter crone asked, her voice carrying the strange, rural accent.

"Falling . . . then, then nothing." She decided not to tell them about the shark man. For some reason, she really really did not want to be considered crazy.

"Too bad," Yugoda sighed, "You're in the Northern Water Tribe. You're badly burned, at least sixty percent of your body. Vel and I have been working around the clock, and we've managed to patch you back together for the most part, at least none of your muscles are exposed anymore. You must have drifted for nearly a week before Hahn found you washed ashore."

"He's the arrogant ass?"

"He is the Honored warrior, ex-fiancé of the Princess Yue, and veteran of the Invasion. He's a bit worked up now that he's found out . . . well . . . who you are."

"So, are you going to tell me?"

"It's best if we wait until yer a bit stronger." Vel came over, holding a bowl of steaming jook, "Ya should eat somthin, see if ya can't keep it down."

Even though her stomach growled audibly, after two mouthfuls, her stomach twisted and she felt a wave of nausea hit her, and she refused any more. It was divinely unfair to be crippled with both hunger and nausea simultaneously.

"Are you sure you don't want more? You need to eat something substantial to regain your strength."

"How long was I out?" It was a struggle to stay awake, all she wanted to do was drift back into oblivion while her body repaired itself. It felt . . . familiar . . . to have two older women above her, fussing over her, and she felt safe.

"It's been almost three months. Y'all have been feverish n delusional fer most of it, tossin and turning and screamin' like a madwoman." Vel shifted to run her waters over the girl's calves and the back of her thighs, "Damn near drove the other patients out of their mind, we had to move you into your own room lest one of 'em smother y'all with a pillow to get some shut eye."

"I want to see my face."

"Y'all don't want to see it yet." Vel cut in quickly, "Let us heal it a bit more, ye'll be perdier."

"Get me a mirror." She was resolute.

The two women looked at each other, then Yugoda shrugged and crossed the room. She rummaged in something, probably a trunk, and returned a moment later with a small, hand held mirror.

She gazed in horror at the monster looking back from the reflection on the glass. One side of her face was perfect, smooth and pale, the other was a cavernous mass of scar tissue, scabs, and ruined skin. Her hair was short and patchy, no longer than an inch, and large bald patches were visible where her skin was still just too ruined to grow hair yet. Disgusted and repulsed, she set the mirror down flat on the bed and pressed her face into the pillows, ignoring the pain that exploded behind her cheekbone and lips.

The two older women exchanged glances again and then both filed out of the room. For this she was grateful, although she missed the soothing touch of the water they manipulated, she would have been humiliated if they stayed to watch her weep.

...

...

...

Katara had not meant to stay so long. She had not planned to do more than swing through in a roundabout course to Omashu. At least that's what she told herself, but days turned to weeks, which turned to months.

In the afternoon light, she perched on one of the large roots of one of the bangrove trees and watched the swamp children run around, playing in the mire. They had invented a game that seemed to involve mostly screaming and throwing handfuls of mud at each other. It was odd, watching the small girl crawl around, screaming in delight as she played with the other children.

"I know what yer doin, and I can tell ya now, it ain't a good idea." Yeo sat down next to her,

"I'm not doing anything!" Katara protested, pretending to fuss with her braids and loops.

"Y'all're gettin' all attached to her." Yeo frowned, "She'll be off her wet nurse soon, 'n one o the priestesses'll take her to the Sun Warriors Temple."

"I could take her." Katara volunteered, "She likes me a lot."

"Yer not a priestess, 'Tara." Yeo told her, "Yer no' her blood family neither."

"I know, I know."

Somehow though, she felt responsible for the little girl, and that feeling was what compelled her to stay longer. She _felt_ like they were family. She _felt_ like she had an obligation bring the girl to meet her father. Unfortunately, the older women did not take her seriously, they were sure that no Fire Nation Nobility, even nobility as jolly and easygoing as Iroh, would accept a half Moerae child.

Katara, however, was a firm believer that women became mothers at conception, and men became fathers at birth. He just needed to see her for an instant and she was sure he would fall in love. If Iroh didn't want her after that, then she would bring the girl to the Sun Warrior's temple herself without complaint. She would even help them initiate and name the sweet little spark-hiccupping girl. Unfortunately, only a Sun Warrior or a Moon Priestess could take the infant out of the swamp without being considered a kidnapper by the clans. It was a project though, and helped keep her mind off of her memories, and helped the time pass quickly.

"Zuko went to visit the Sun Warriors once." Katara spoke, trying to strike up a new conversation, then jumped up to separate two boys whose play fight was turning into an actual fight.

"UUUhjgghg," Yeo groaned loudly, "Ya know I love ya 'Tara, but, we're all gettin' sick o hearin bout him."

"Sorry." Katara mumbled as she put the two squabbling children in time out.

"Okay, okay, tell me bout yer ex's adventure in the Temples o the West."

"Well," Katara chewed her lip, "Actually, all I really know is that he and Aang learned a technique called the Dancing Dragon. He tried to teach me it once, we ended up falling in the river . . . I still remember it though . . ." Katara stood and closed her eyes, trying to conjure the steps in her head. Slowly, she mimicked the movements, stopping every few seconds to correct herself, "Wait, was it this next . . . or do I go down . . . hmm . . . I think, then this . . ."

When she finished, Yeo bounced and clapped, and surprised at the attention the water tribeswoman was getting, the toddlers began shrieking with delight and turned their mud pelting on the older girls.

Relaxing back into Temple schedule was easy, and Katara had been obliged to pick up where she had left off, learning swamp style bending and teaching pole style. Her sixteenth birthday came and went, as did Toph's fourteenth, and she felt guilty that she didn't contact the earth bender. A group of four teenaged girls from the North Pole even showed up one day chaperoned by High Priestess Fae, muddy and bedraggled, but eager to learn what had been denied them in their home country.

She instantly became popular with them, as she had studied under legendary bender and renowned chauvinist Master Pakku. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to study with the Avatar's Waterbending instructor, everyone wanted the bragging rights. The next time that Fae left, this time to make a trip to the Southern Water Tribe, Katara slipped a letter into the older woman's hand, asking her to drop it off at the nearest village she passed with a Hawkery.

Eager to pull her own weight, she picked up chores, watched the children, helped trap and gather food, and even learned a few of the Swamp's guarded techniques, how to read the twigs, how to trigger an artificial power surge using herbs and chanting, and how to make the special drinks that dispelled fertility. After a few months and constant badgering, she broke, and agreed to join in the celebration of drawing down the full moon. She didn't last very long, slipping away from the dancers and the drums before the celebration had even reached full swing. It just didn't feel right without Zuko as her dance partner.

"Again 'Tara?" Yeo whined, as they both picked at their evening meal of swampweed, possum chicken, and flies, "Why 're ya torturin' yourself over this monogamy. Ain't like y'all are officially handfasted 'er nothin'. Thought he pretty much left you after yer mother finding fiasco. It was just a summer fling, wa'nt it? Maybe it's time y'all moved on?"

"I'll be fine." Katara turned and glared at Yeo, making it plain to the older girl that she had crossed a line.

"Ya sure? It's the spring equinox, it means that the hot season is starting again, you don't want to celebrate the coming of the hot weather with a hot man between your thighs?" Yeo held out a half of a coconut shell full of their birth control mixture.

"I'll 'celebrate' it by myself." Katara muttered as she took a long sip, whether she planned to dance or not, it was Temple rules that she drink the stuff. She had usually celebrated the full moon by babysitting the kids until they fell asleep, then taking a long walk into the swamp, finding a cold pool to lie in and freezing it.

"You know, ya can't fight it fer ever, the moon tugs on you, n' sooner or later, yer going to do something ya regret because y'all keep denyin' yerself."

"I'm not a slave to the moon, I can control myself."

"Been four moons you've dodged it, yer comin to this one. Y'all wanna be a full priestess, y'all gotta . . . you know . . . participate in our ceremonies!!"

Katara stared at her friend for a long time, then her shoulders slumped in defeat, "Okay. I'll dance, but that's all."

Yeo grinned victoriously, "Been meanin ta ask ya, can ya can give me one of them tribal piercings? They're gorgeous, 'n I am jealous."

"They're not very practical." Katara grumbled, her mind still on the concept of joining the sisterhood.

Yeo dug in one of the pouches she had on her hip, "I been tradin' with those gals from up north, they been real keen on our swamp beads, n I been sweet on their bone carvin' skills. Check it out." The Priestess pulled out a handful of Water Tribe jewelry.

"They're beautiful." Katara held out her hand and then examined them with half interest, "Pretty good quality too, this one is pretty thick though, I would file it down. Usually the men make a necklace for their bride, but it's up to a girl to make her dowry."

"So y'all know how to poke the right hole fer it?"

"Yes, I know how to do it, the women of my tribe would do them a few months before their weddings, I think it was symbolic. Of course, You don't HAVE to be engaged to do it, it's just tradition." Katara sighed and stared into the water, poking at her reflection with a stick.

"So, Wha's a 'dowry'?" Yeo asked, then held up a horseshoe carving with the moon engraved on it, "Oh! this un' 'ere's my favorite."

"A dowry is jewelry, skins, clothes, blankets, anything really, mostly valuables, money, or things that will be useful for the newlyweds in their new household."

"Tha's barbaric! Makin a gal pay to marry a man she don' wanna." Yeo huffed.

"Well, their definitely burning their beast bindings now, so to speak," Katara smiled at her friend's indignation, "trading their dowries and celebrating the Full Moon."

"I'll go boil some water." Yeo stood, gathering their empty plates.

"Even if I heal it up afterwards, I don't recommend you letting anyone put their mouth on it for a few weeks." Katara told her with a small smile.

"Ok, ok, We can do somethin' tame . . . Ya can pick out a few that ya want, there's too many there ta all fit on my body."

"I don't need any jewelry." Katara insisted, but by the time Yeo had gotten back with a steaming, sanitized coconut full of water, Katara had already sorted them into piles according to where they went, gauge, and general, overall awesomeness.

...

...

...

Three scrolls were perched on his desk when he walked in that morning. One was rose colored and embossed with meticulous, gold leaf calligraphy running down the rolled edge. It was clearly a formal invitation to his cousin's wedding. He put it aside without even opening it. He knew the when and where, and he had already contributed substantially to the bride's dowry, mostly in the form of mutant Fire Nation Exotic animals. Who knew if you bred a cow hippo and a cow pig you would get a strange creature dubbed a 'cow'?

The second was from Kyoshi Island, and he put that aside too. It was probably Sokka writing him to tell him how Suki was doing and how much Kisa was moping since Ty Lee and Aang had set out together to scour the Earth Kingdom for air benders.

The other was sealed and bore a crest from the Northern Water Tribe. He hoped against hope that it was from Katara, sending him some sort of news, contact information, he would even take a written scolding and berating, he was so desperate to hear SOMETHING.

He had carried her necklace around with him for weeks after she had vanished into the night, but after leaving it in his robe pocket accidentally, (and subsequently tearing apart the laundry rooms looking for it) he decided to leave it in the drawer table near his bed where it would be safe. His mother's comb had also taken up residence there, along with her last letter.

Falteringly, the Fire Lord unraveled the Water Tribe letter, his eyes skimming over the page.

It was not from Katara.

In fact, it was the very opposite, instead of his chest flooding with relief, he felt it tighten in rage. He almost incinerated the letter accidentally as he exhaled a lungful of smoke.

_They had her. _

The murderous bitch had survived, and _they had her_. Hollering for a courier to fetch him a bird from the hawkery, he grabbed for a quill and parchment. What should he do? Did he want to drag her back here to be executed? Did he want them to take care of it? Did he want to give her a trial? Was it wise to let the public know that she was alive?

The ink covered nib, poised and ready sank lower, and his grip on it relaxed as he began considering his options, and what would be best for his country. Better that his people not know she is alive until after the last pockets of resistance gave up. With her "dead", the Ozai supporters had lost a lot of power and influence. They were dwindling down to almost nothing, but discontent was still rampant. Taxes were high, morale was low, and people were angry about the child limit he and his uncle had instilled . . . not that most families could afford more than one child with the recession.

So, dragging her back to the Fire Nation for a public execution was out, even though it was his personal favorite option.

He didn't want to ask them to carry out her sentence for him, mainly because he wanted to see her. He wanted to look her in the eye and ask her vindictively why she did it, if it had been worth it, and if she felt better now. He wanted to see her before her sentence was carried out, and he simply didn't have the time to take the royal procession north.

_Maybe . . ._ an idea began coagulating in his head, _Maybe she is good where she is for now . . ._ He didn't have to request for her to be extradited. He could leave her there to freeze. What better place for a Fire Bender to be detained than a glacier full of water benders? She could stay there and ice up until he had the time and the resources to deal with her properly.

Reluctantly, he began composing a reply. He would ask them to keep her in whatever prison facility they had until the political climate in the Fire Nation had smoothed over. He would send them a stipend for her upkeep, and would appreciate a general update on how she was. Nothing too detailed, just whether or not she was alive.

He dated it, sealed it, and then handed it off to one of his pages.

Satisfied he had made the right decision, and silently hoping Arnook would agree to the request, he picked up the invitation. All it meant was a pointless and time consuming visit to Ba Sing Se. It would put him behind schedule, and he would have to work overtime to compensate. The only good part of the whole thing would be that he would get to see his uncle and his friends again for a few days. The palace was empty now, Entourage Avatar had dispersed across the globe again, save Toph, who had taken on a job in his guard as a high ranking interrogator. When he had asked her why she wanted such a job, she had replied that she was the best suited for it, as she could tell when people were lying, and that 'sweetness' had asked her to keep an eye on him, which she fully intended to do.

Although he had been productive, he had also been lonely and depressed, and missing his friends.

...

...

...

...

"You sure you're up for it?" Katara chewed her lip nervously.

"Yea, I am." Yeo was shaking a little, like she usually did when her cycle ran high, "I need the extra power to be able to bend properly."

"Alright, if you're sure."

"Anyway, Bean is goina be eight months next week, 'n she'll be leavin. If y'all really wanted to take her to her papa, it's now 'er never. Gotta wear the marks to walk the path."

"That makes no sense, I know the style, I've lived in the temple for months, and you're telling me a little curly cue snake is what is going to change these women's minds about my ability to baby sit an infant? I thought you were supposed to be wise!!"

"Look 'Tara, tha sisterhood wont entrust the safety o' one of ours to'n outsider, simple as that."

Should she do it? She had never actually considered jumping on the bandwagon and joining the sect the first time she visited. She wasn't morally opposed to the idea by any means, it just wasn't something she saw herself doing. The longer she stayed, however, the more pride she had in the place, and the more it felt like home.

Once she showed up at Iroh's door, everyone would know where she was. It was terrifying. She would have a lot of explaining to do, especially to Sokka and Aang, (And Zuko if he decided they were on speaking terms). They would probably be pretty annoyed, and Sokka at least would not think that was a good enough excuse for vanishing for nearly a season. Aang probably would, but Aang usually let her do whatever without really being angry at her afterwards. She hoped that the letter she had asked Fae to give to Sokka when she reached the Southern Water Tribe had soothed his rage a bit. He had not sent someone to fetch her, that was a start, wasn't it?

The ceremony to join the sisterhood was simple, it could hardly be called a ceremony at all. They forged their way to the grandfather tree in the center of the swamp and climbed to the top of it's roots. Since it was dark, they set up a circle of candles to light them as they moved, and then several sticks of incense to keep the bugs away from her arms as she was being inked. She had had to repeat a few verses that Yeo recited, she had to drink from a chalice that contained a liquid that tasted suspiciously like blood and herbs, and she had had to take a vow of secrecy, and make a promise to protect the swamp. That had been the easy part.

In all her years, she had never fully appreciated how exhausting it was to get a tattoo. It made her gain a lot of respect for Aang, and his commitment to his bending and his spirituality. The pain was intense, and it was a slow process. Yeo had charcoaled in the snakes, and then bent the Ink, froze it into a needle, stabbed, defrosted, and withdrew. Wash, rinse, repeat. After a while, it felt like the priestess was stabbing into an open wound, and Katara was sure that the dripping fluid on her arm was not extra ink.

The steady pain, the screams of the swamp birds, and the rush of the wind, and the ripples of the water below lulled her into a kind of trance. Slowly, spots materialized in front of her eyes, then they grew to an all encompassing blackness.

_She was kneeling at the Spirit Oasis, watching Tui and La circle each other. Looking up, she saw Azula kneeling opposite her, the girl's skin slowly melting and dripping off of her. Grinning the same, superior smile she always had, the princess pointed at her._

"_Don't be so disgusted pretty Lady." The Princess sneered and pointed, "You're not so porcelain yourself!"_

_Katara looked down and screamed. Her arms were burnt and ragged, the tender skin ruined all the way to her shoulder. In her panic, she slipped on the snow, falling headfirst into the oasis. There should have been cold, but it never manifested, and a pool floor, but she never collided with it. The fish were growing larger and larger, circling her, tossing up a current that dragged her to and fro in their wake._

_The creatures opened their mouths and displayed row upon row of sharp teeth, ant the scales of their body shifted, changing from something aquatic to something reptilian. Larger and larger they grew, until Katara realized that instead of two fish, she was being circled by two dragons._

_Opening their jaws, they began snapping at her, It was clear that they weren't trying to bite her, rather herd her to where they wanted her to go. Cooperating with them, it wasn't long before her head broke the surface, and she crawled onto a foreign shore. The sand stuck to her wet arms and legs, and she began trying to brush them off._

"_Katara?"_

_She looked up at the mention of her name, and recognized the Fire Lord's silhouette standing over her. He was tall, taller than he should have been, and she craned her neck back, trying to make out his face, but the sun blacked him out. What she did see was ropes twining around him, anchoring him to the ground._

_He bent down stiffly and offered her a hand, which she took gladly. His fingers closed around hers and . . ._

"Done!"

Katara snapped awake, at Yeo's voice, nearly rolling off the roots as the dream released her from it's clutches. The sun was rising and the candles had burnt themselves out by the time she had finished, and both girls had been too exhausted to trek back to temple grounds, so they had slept uncomfortably on top of each other on the roots of the grandfather bangrove tree.

The first thing she noticed when she woke up from her early morning nap was the huge serpent god was coiled in the branches, looking down at her, it's multiple sets of eyes calculating. Katara didn't care how sacred he was, it was damn creepy to watch girls sleep. The second thing she noticed was the complete lack of sound in the woods. She detangled herself from Yeo, and stood to meet the god.

"What are you doing here, Spirit god?" she asked respectfully, bowing her head.

_Welcome, my new disciple, I see great possibilities in your future._ It's heads returned the gesture, _and I see terrible potentials. You will breathe new life into those that breathe life itself, and you will mend a net to catch the wind. _ The serpent's multiple heads turned away then, and it coiled higher into the tree, disappearing from view. As it left, the normal sounds of the swamp started again, the animals once again stirring.

"Yeo!"

The older priestess grunted as she was shaken awake, "'Ya can go back ta sleep."

"Yeo, I had a dream. I think . . . I think I've stayed here too long."

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None of the other patients liked her.

None of the healers liked her.

She was sure of it.

The women working there and their apprentices were always on edge around her like she was dangerous. Nobody would talk to her for very long, so she would sit in the corner of the infirmary, waiting for meal times, medicine doses, healing sessions, and for one of the women to come around and help her rub her dry, peeling skin down with seaweed lotion.

It was the least favorite part of her day, the rubdown, she had to expose her whole jagged and disfigured back to one of the healers, and they would rub the lotion into it. Usually they would flee right after, usually only Yugoda would stay and offer to help loosen her skin. Slowly but surely, her range of motion was increasing, unfortunately, she knew by then that what she saw in the mirror was what she got, no amount of healing water would smooth her skin, the scars were permanent.

Sometimes she remembered her days and where she was and why, sometimes she did not. The other crone, Vel, had been moving the water around her head every day for months, and the blackouts became sparser, but her memories never returned, in fact, they got blurrier.

It was an odd, at times painful sensation, having someone else in your head, and sometimes she got wind of the other woman's memories. They smelled of heat and decay and water, and something felt familiar about it. She knew wherever she had come from, it had been hot. They had said she was royalty. Hahn had said it, and then when the men had questioned her, they had confirmed it. Unfortunately they refused to tell her either her name, or her crime. She knew she murdered someone, she didn't know who or why, but she was confident in the fact that they had deserved it, and that she had been right to do it.

The days dragged by, but she hardly cared, and she would fall into bed at night, feeling empty and forgotten. Wherever she had come from, nobody was looking for her, nobody wanted her back. She had no family, no memory, no name, she was nothing.

It was one of those nights that she heard them, it was Yugoda and one of her older apprentices. They probably thought that she was asleep and that they were whispering low enough.

"It really is unnerving, the way she watches us walk around the hospice with those eyes. It's damn creepy. The other patients can't get the rest they need when they know she is in the room. You have to do something, Yugoda. Maybe it's time we sent her to the Ice prison. She is well enough for it now, we can send someone over to administer her treatments."

"Physically, yes, she is well enough, but, her mind is still delicate, it might always be, and Vel told me that while she was in her head, she made sure her memories were blocked. That woman is a master of whatever it is she does, and if she locked up the girl's mind, I doubt she is dangerous to society."

"You don't know what she is capable of!" the apprentice was insisting, "Who would do that to themselves? Who burns themselves like that?"

"Vel examined the memories closely while the girl was feverish, she told us all in detail what she found." Yugoda whispered back, "The poor thing was so angry, she lost it, tried to escape the embrace by lighting them both up. She thought that her mother would let go of her and they could, I don't know, pull off their clothes and stamp out the flames, but her mother wouldn't release her. So, who is at fault? The woman who started the fire, or the woman who prevented their escape from it?"

"Are you sure we're talking about the same woman here? She's a monster. We all know it. She would have killed her whole family if she wasn't stopped, instead of just her mother."

_Mother_, her hands tightened in the covers, _I killed my mother?_ The vague, nauseating hatred washed through her again, and settled in the pit of her stomach as she strained to remember whether it was directed at her mother or herself. All that her mind conjured was the smell of burning flesh and the terror of a freefall.

"You hold your tongue, If you keep telling a child it's a monster, it won't be long before they start to believe you." Yugoda's tone was stern, "and I have not worked my team raw saving her skin to have her once again convinced of this."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'll see what I can do to get her out of the way tomorrow, maybe . . . ." Yugoda had started walking down the hallway, and the apprentice followed.

Rolling onto her back, she stared at the ceiling, and waited for the oblivion of sleep, but it never came. Her mind was too busy trying to assimilate and rationalize what she had heard the women gossiping about. She was still staring blankly at the ceiling when Yugoda bustled in the following morning with a tray of food.

"How are you feeling today, sweetie?"

It was a routine that they repeated every morning. When she didn't answer, the old crone shifted her weight and bent a slab of ice up next to the bed, then set the tray down on it.

"I brought you some stewed oysters and sea prunes for breakfast, our fishermen pulled them up this morning."

"I don't want it." she snapped, the same as she did every morning.

"You have to eat something, sweetie, you're very weak." Yugoda persisted, pulling a chair up to the impromptu table, "Remember a week ago when you were strong enough to walk around the hospice?"

"The food here is disgusting."

"Well, aren't you the picky eater!" Yugoda bantered as she siphoned the herbs into the tea, Although the old healer would not force her to eat her food, she would force her to drink the tea that they brewed, and she had learned the hard way that they would resort to bending it down her throat to make sure she got the proper dosage. She knew they were drugging her, but she wasn't sure why.

"I'm sick of sludge and bottom feeders."

"Sometimes the warriors will hunt the Turtle Seals, but they decide who the meat goes to." Yugoda told her kindly, "If you get strong enough, you could go hunt one yourself. It would be good for you to get some fresh air and exercise, plus, I'm sure the other hospice patients would appreciate the extra protein."

"Don't be obtuse. I don't know the landscape, I don't know what a turtle seal looks like, and I don't know how to hunt."

"Then perhaps taking a walk around the grounds would be a good start for you. Eat your breakfast, ALL your breakfast, and I'll let you out for the afternoon. It'll help you to stretch the scarred tissue on your legs out properly."

Yugoda was trying to get rid of her, the old crone wanted her out of the hospice for a few hours so the other patients could breathe easy. The idea of a change of scenery and the sun on her back, however, proved to be too much for her stubborn streak, and she swung her legs out of the bed and hobbled over to the table. The food smelled even less appetizing than it looked, but she lifted the warm bowl with both hands and began to sip it cooperatively.

When she was done, Yugoda had already found a spare parka for her, and waterproof pants and boots. It always struck her as odd how everyone wore heavy furs indoors all the time but she never seemed to need one. Unless the temperature dropped below zero or the wind chilled the air, she never felt the need for anything above the worn, blue woolen robes.

"Here you are, I think this will fit you well enough."

She looked down at the backs of her hands, scarred and ragged, and shook her head. Her face flushed and she pulled her shirt sleeves down over them. Were the scars really self inflicted? Did she hate herself that much?

"Come on, you'll be wearing mittens, and a hood, nobody will see your scars. You'll just catch a bit of fresh air in the yard, it'll be fun. You can watch the benders practice down the way . . . stay on the hospital grounds though."

Finally, she relented and allowed herself to be bundled in a heavier coat. The feel of the skins on her reminded her of the boy who had pulled off his coat when he found her. She went outside and her nose tightened and froze as the temperature dropped. He must have been shivering the whole ride back to the camp with her, it was an oddly chivalrous gesture for someone who obviously hated her so completely.

'Watching the benders practice' was putting it generously. They were small specks way down the hill across the tundra, and she had to strain to see anything at all, let alone the details. The moves, however, reminded her of something. She couldn't quite place it though . . . it was just . . . familiar.

Looking back at the hospice, she decided nobody would notice if she went and got a closer look. After all, Yugoda was a busy woman, and most of the other attendants were all probably secretly praying for her to fall into a precipice while she was out. Carefully and awkwardly, as the skin around her joints was stiff and didn't like to bend, she skidded down the slope to the icy turf where they were practicing.

She could do it too, not exactly, but similar. What was it? She chewed idly on one of her fur gloves, trying to remember. It was important. She had been good at it. It was blue like water, but, not.

"Hey! Girls can't crash the men's bending class, you're not supposed to be here!!!" Something grabbed her roughly on her arm, and flung her around violently.

Without thinking, her body seemed to react on it's own, and without really planning to, a burst of fire erupted from her fisted palm and shot wildly past her assailant's ear. Her aim was off, luckily for him, mainly due to her stiffness. It was starting to come back to her . . . the fire . . . how she could make things burn . . .

"What the fuck!" Looking up, she saw the grey blue eyes that belonged to the warrior, her savior/nemesis. He was pale with fury, his free hand had drawn back into a raised fist, but he was stalled in a hesitation, probably deciding whether or not it was ethical to hit a woman, weighing the fact that she had just attacked him, she was a murderer, and a fire bender into the equation.

She didn't wait for him to decide, dropping to a crouch, she swept her leg in a circle, taking his out from under him. Her muscles remembered, even if her brain did not, and she easily broke the hold he had on her, twisting back and away. With a grunt, he landed hard on his back, the snow knocking the wind from him. Unfortunately, moments later, her quads gave up the ghost, and she lost her balance. Before she could topple, she grabbed for the Warrior, who had rolled onto his side and was coughing, his lungs still in shock. The men practicing had dropped their stance, and were hurrying over to see what the scuffle was about.

"Get OFF me, Azula!"

Glancing back at the hospice and the safety it provided, (or more accurately, the safety the angry crone with the weird accent provided) she leaned forward and shifted to her knees next to him, grabbing the chest of his blue fur coat.

"What you just said, Is that my name?!"

"Let me go!" With more force than she thought he would summon, he shoved her to the side and sat up, dusting the snow off of his jacket curtly, "Yea, it's your name. If I were you, I wouldn't be proud of it." He was angry, she could tell, but was trying to maintain a certain superiority. He was trying to act like she wasn't even worth it, like she didn't even matter.

"What's going on here, Hahn?"

"Nothing."

She stood, suddenly uneasy at being surrounded. She knew if Hahn said she had attacked him, (which she sort of had), she could be in a lot of trouble. As far as she knew, he was an important man from a wealthy family, he could probably have her fed to the sharks. Looking around, her brain made instinctual calculations for her, they were benders, they would need to bend the snow up from the ground and liquefy it before they could attack, doing that and dropping into stance would take about 1.75 seconds. She could kick the one directly two paces in front of her in the head, then pivot and elbow his neighbor before he recovered, that would take about 2.3 seconds, then she could drop to the ground to avoid the first wave and . . .

"Did she attack you?"

There was a long hesitation, and she tensed to fight, two of her fingers folded over invisibly inside her mittens, and she unlocked her knees. The anger in his eyes, however, turned to a disgusted grimace, then pity. He shook his head, slowly, as though he didn't want to.

"I asked her to show me a move."

The tenseness of the crowd eased a bit, and she let out a breath. That was odd. Why would he lie to protect her since he obviously hated her guts?

"Come on, Azula, I'll walk you back to the hospice. Wouldn't want you to _wander off and fall off an ice precipice_." He spat, pushing past the other men and grabbing her arm again, starting to drag her back up the hill. She wondered briefly if there had been some sort of communication about her preferred demise.

"Weird, usually he doesn't bother to remember Fire Nation names." She heard one of the men whisper to another.

"Ha! Show him a move my ass, he just doesn't want to admit that he just got schooled by a little girl." Another gloated back, and she felt Hahn's grip tighten, and saw his back stiffen.

Well, that explained the lying.

"She did not!" He whirled around, glaring at the benders, and Azula took the opportunity to remove his hand forcefully from her arm. She did not like to be grabbed.

"So, what's this? The second time you were batted around by the Fire Nation?"

Was it just her, or did there seem to be a bit of rivalry between the benders and the warriors. Nothing seemed too out of line, but there was a distinct competition between the two factions.

"I wasn't batted around, and she is my prisoner! Chief Arnook promoted me a rank for capturing her!!" he gloated, "What rank are you?"

"I'm not your prisoner!" She understood struggling for the favor of a leader, but this was ridiculous. They were talking like she was a bargaining chip in a popularity contest! The filthy commoners had no right to talk about her like that!

"Husband." One replied, making an hand motion that she didn't quite understand.

"Finding her was just a lucky break." Another one of them scoffed, shaking his head, "And she isn't your prisoner if she can beat you up and escape."

Hahn rolled his eyes, "All of you stop, I'm your senior-"

"Why? Are you worried that I would obliterate you?" The taunting jab was out of her mouth and into the ether before she could think better of it, "Because we all know I could."

Everyone quieted, looking from Hahn to her then back.

"I don't fight girls."

"Well, If I'm willing to make an exception, you should be too." She crossed her hands over her chest, smiling a conniving smile.

"Everyone take a break. Practice is over. Everyone off the field." Hahn snapped, "Except you, Girl."

They stood in silence as the benders cleared the area, neither breaking eye contact. Neither one wanted to be the first to back down. She was so engrossed with standing her ground and preparing for an argument, that when the physical attack came, she was totally taken by surprise.

She barely managed to leap out of the way of the strange orbed club when he recovered and threw a punch. It hit her hard, and she staggered a few steps before finally finding her stance again. Almost instantly, the blue fire flared to life at her fingertips, and she dodged backwards, letting her muscle memory be her guide.

After a few minutes, of attacking and dodging, they were fighting in a pool of ankle deep, freezing water, and her muscles were screaming in protest. It was clear he had her on the defensive, and she knew it. It wouldn't be long before she collapsed in complete muscle exhaustion . . . if she even lasted that long. Almost on cue, she stepped the wrong way to stay out of his range, and she felt a knee jerk into her stomach soundly. It was accompanied a fraction of a second later by an elbow jammed down into her back like a hammer.

Azula collapsed soundly into the snowy water, gasping for breath.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself looking down the shaft of the heathen club he wielded.

"I don't know what the hell you think you're playing at, and I don't know what stories those medicine women have been filling your head with," he told her, his voice colder than the ice she lay on, "But you're a prisoner here, not a patient. Do you understand that? You're a lunatic, You're a danger to my tribe, and I won't hesitate to kill you if you provoke me again."

"Not in your wildest fantasies would you ever be able to kill me." She didn't bother to mask the distaste in her voice as she hiked herself up onto an elbow, both hands clutching her stomach. "Cremation, drowning, and exposure couldn't end me, I doubt very much you could, misguided sentinel."

"You scoff, but you're your own prisoner in your own mind. You can't even remember who you are. Get up."

"You said my name was 'Azula'." His hatred hardly phased her. She dragged herself up to her feet, completely soaked, her hands still clutching her aching core.

"Go back inside and don't bother us again." Hahn pointed towards the door, "None of the boys want to be distracted by a hideous, mutant of a girl while they try to practice."

It took her the better part of an hour to stagger back up the hill it had taken her minutes to walk down. Nobody seemed surprised when she pushed through the doorway sporting a new black eye and a ring of bruises around her waist. Nobody was surprised when she spent the rest of the evening sitting on her favorite chair in the corner, watching everyone and sulking. She wasn't even surprised when she was forced to drink a both larger and stronger version of the tea they made her drink, and she wasn't surprised when it made her vision swim and her brain unfocus.

What was surprising was the very next morning, after breakfast and the daily lotion ritual, Yugoda again suggested that she go out for a walk in the yard.

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**Ok, so chapters up I ended up having to break it into two, I thought I would be able to wrap up the story arc in one. But ah well. Live and learn.**

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**I'm hoping it came off in the chapter. Azula's personality is basically the same, but she cannot remember much of who she is or where she came from. She is also being drugged to keep her a bit more manageable.**

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**I am going to update as soon as I can, but probably not until after the 8****th**** of February because I am going to be at the New York Comic Con!! Whoo!! But that means I have a lot to get done by then. **

**I'll be cosplaying DotBS Katara (with brown eyes), so, if you're going, be sure to say Hi!! **

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**I love hearing from everyone, it's really great to know if you're enjoying the story or not. I hope you liked this chapter!!**

**Review!! --- **


	32. Chapter 32: Promises

**Title:** Midsummer Madness

**Author:** Burning_Ice

**Rating**: R

**Summary:** Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.

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**Disclaimer:** This is a fan made project, I didn't create any of this. I don't claim it as my own. But you should definitely go buy Avatar merchandise, mainly because it rocks.

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**Chapter 32: Promises  
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"Don't you think it would be grand, Fire Lord Zuko?" Ling persisted, "after the fire jugglers and the poetry readings, then we could have all four nations represented in the festivities!"

Zuko was hardly paying attention as he rifled through his files. His desk had gone from neat and tidy to practically unusable in a matter of days, and it was starting to annoy him that he could never find what he wanted. When he didn't answer, Toph, who was laying on the floor in her usual recline, fingers laced behind her head, one leg straight, the other bent and flat on the floor, responded for him.

"Why don't you whatever you think is necessary, Scowls, neither of us care about weddings."

"Well you should!!" The taller aristocrat scolded, then promptly went back to gushing, "It will be the first official joining of the two great nations of Earth and Fire."

"Toph, can you please take your tutor somewhere else for a while?"

"You asked her to administer her lessons here, where you could keep an eye on me!!" Toph protested, "Why would you want us to leave now?!"

"I'm trying to get work done." Zuko pinched his nose. The little earth bender was taking advantage of the situation far more than he had thought she would.

"No you're not." Toph had dedicated herself to being unhelpful, "You're looking for something."

"There was a letter from Sokka here, now I can't find it." Zuko replied, "Did you take it Toph?"

"Yea, cause I was just _dying_ to read it . . ."

"Perhaps, Lady Toph, you should be more courteous to the Lord? You're etiquette and posture are positively indecent."

Abruptly, Toph sat up and pointed in her tutor's general direction, "Alright, lessons are over, you may go."

The older woman huffed, but picked up her green skirts graciously and swept out of the room flamboyantly. When the door closed, Toph flopped back onto the rug, and began picking at her teeth.

"Is she gone?" Zuko's voice was a whisper.

"Yea, She is stomping off to the library."

"Thank god, I couldn't handle any more of that inane chatter about romance and unions between the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation."

"I know! I don't know why you have to keep her around." She complained.

"You know perfectly well why we're keeping her around," Zuko had ceased the searching of his desk and begun rifling through the scrolls piled on the floor, "It was your idea, remember?"

"I didn't think that you would hire her as my private Tutor!! I thought you would just pretend to fall for her pathetic idea of seduction." Toph raised the pitch of her voice and spoke in baby talk, "'Oh, Fire Lord, I've always wanted to live in the Fire Nation, I do hope I will be able to stay for a long time! You are the shining torch leading the way to peace and love between all the benders!!'"

"It's called being coy." Zuko was being evasive, "and what did you expect from a poet other than lyrical flattery?"

"'Coy'?! Do men actually like that?!"

"It depends on the man, but Toph, I really AM trying to find this letter." Zuko ran his fingers through his hair and then sank down next to her in frustration, his back pressed against his desk.

They had decided that the best course of action would be to keep their friends close and their enemies closer. If the women trying to manipulate him though that everything was going according to plan, they would stick to said plan. If they figured out that he was wise to their game, well, he didn't know what they would do, and he hated surprises. Worse still, if they found out that he had every intention of locating and apologizing to Katara, they might do something to her. He knew they were not above killing . . . all they had to do was wait for a new moon . . .

"Wait, is this it?" Toph transferred her weight to her shoulder blades and feet, raising her hips. Placidly, she then pulled something out from under her butt and dropped it into his lap.

"You were _sitting_ on it?!" Zuko's voice jumped half an octave higher as he spoke, "I was looking everywhere for it for an hour!!"

Toph shrugged, grinning, and wiggled her toes, cracking the bones in them, "So, are you going to read it to me or what?"

Zuko heaved a long sigh and then broke the seal, he was more interested in what the letter said than fighting with the earth bender and she knew it. The paper unrolled and he scanned the script, it was written in Sokka's sprawling hand, but it was worse than usual, as though he had written it in a hurry.

_Zuko,_

_I got a letter from her today. It's been months, and finally she sent me one damn letter, apologizing and explaining that she was somewhere where the messenger hawks don't fly. She was very cryptic about where she was, why she was there, and what she was doing. I'll bet you anything that she is in that Foggy Swamp with those crazy seers. _

_She mentioned you several times; I thought you would want to know,_

_Sokka_

_P.S.: Suki sent a couple Kyoshi on an expedition to the swamp to check it out when we got the letter, they haven't come back yet though._

"At least now we know she is alive." Toph told him as he finished, "and that she still thinks about you." Her usual mocking tone had vanished, and she smiled sincerely at him.

"They probably won't be back until after the full moon . . ." Zuko re rolled the scroll carefully and placed it on the floor in front of him and stared at if for a long time.

"Do you want me to go and check it out for you?" Toph offered after a long silence, "Since you can't go grovel in person."

"No." Zuko told her. He wanted to go. He wanted to snag the next ship and turn the swamp upside down looking for her. He could too. He was a master at chasing and finding people, and he knew her so well, but he had other responsibilities. The Fire Nation needed him, and he had to deliver. His own freedom to do as he pleased was the forfeit. As if reading his mind, Toph snorted, and then grumbled.

"You never should have let your Uncle weasel out of the throne."

Zuko grunted a response.

"Soooo," Toph chewed on her lip, "Does the Katara wildcard mess up our plan? Are you still going to ask our wannabe-bard to the wedding?"

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It had been surprisingly easy to convince the baby's aunts to let her go once they regarded Katara as "one of the swamp tribe". So easy, in fact, that Katara wondered if she had been slightly played. As soon as the little sprout was weaned from her wet nurse, she had saddled up the (now shorn) buffalo deer and swaddled the baby and fashioned her to her back like the women of her tribe showed her years ago. Then she had climbed onto a raft that the priestesses provided, and let them ferry her to the edge of the mire.

Bean, for her part, squalled like Katara was torturing her for the whole ride out of the swamp. The tantrum alternated between spurts of flame and spurts of spit up, and Katara found herself doing a lot more bending than she thought that she was going to have to. Finally, the infant had exhausted herself and dropped into an uneasy sleep which continued until Katara awkwardly mounted her buffalo deer.

Upon awakening however, the little girl didn't scream, and Katara was grateful, the squirming of the baby was aggravating her still healing tattoos, and straining her back. The role of caregiver was already starting to lose its luster. Instead of throwing a tantrum, the girl gazed mesmerized at the sky, as though surprised at being able to see it without a canopy of fog obscuring it.

It took until sunset to reach the closest village to the Swamp. It was a small, fisherman's village, perched along the delta, but luckily it was large enough to have a tavern, and Katara was grateful to get a room for the night and a warm bowl of stew.

". . . and what would you like for the little lady? Some mashed pea cabbage?" the bartender asked pleasantly, yanking a hand away as the little girl swiped at him with a burst of green fire. "What's her name anyways?" he asked slightly less pleasantly.

"Oh, She doesn't have one yet," Katara explained, "I'm bringing her to Ba Sing Se to meet her father. It's sort of tradition that he gives her a name since she is a fire bender."

"Well, you're very brave, a single girl like yourself, traveling alone with an infant." The man shook his head as he pulled out a spatula and began mashing the vegetables into a paste for her, "If I were you, I would make her father come and meet YOU."

"Well . . . he doesn't exactly know she exists . . ." Katara confessed, thinking of Iroh's blissful ignorance, "but I'll be fine, I'm a master water bender."

"Wait . . . are you Katara of the Southern Water Tribe?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes?"

"THE Katara of the Southern Water Tribe?"

"Umm, yes."

"Water bending instructor to the Avatar, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe?"

"Yes, I am . . ." Katara squinted at him, she had expected the IQs of the men to increase as she got further away from the swamp, not plateau.

"Hey!! Shuzi!! We got Master Water bender Katara here!!" he was apparently calling to one of his coworkers, "Forget about the fifth room, give her the suite!!"

"Oh, I'm sort of on a budget." Katara told him quickly.

"No extra charge!" he grinned then drawled on, "We heard you vanished!! The Fire Lord and Water Tribe Prince went ballistic! For a month or so there were ships combing the shoreline, asking for you."

"Really?" Katara felt a pang of guilt, she did send word to Sokka . . . what if her letter had been lost?

"Ah well, yer here now, and that's what matters," The man turned his head as another patron called for ale, "Oh, if you'll excuse me for a second, Master Water Bender . . ."

Katara sat alone with her thoughts for the rest of the night as she helped her charge gobble down her dinner. She kept catching people staring at her, and whispering back and forth, but she wrote it off as gossiping. Even so, it made her feel self conscious, and she retired early.

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Apparently, a woman attempting to beat up an honored warrior was grounds for house arrest. As soon as she was no longer allowed to leave the building, she began yearning for the outdoors.

The wanderlust set in as soon as her body began synching with the sun, which it hadn't been doing while she was ill. It started out vague, the need to get away from the whispers and the hateful glances in the hospice, and then grew to an obsession. She would wake at the false dawn every morning and jealously watch the fishermen sailing in from a night of work. Then she would pace her room for the next two or three hours, waiting for breakfast, and by the time the healers roused themselves to tend to her, her mood was always black. Usually she would swear at them and throw whatever the brought her to eat against the wall, sending the lackluster water benders scurrying off for cover.

Finally, one day, disgusted by the imposed schedule she had raided the cabinets and awkwardly applied the lotion to her back, arms, legs, and right cheek herself, grabbed her parka, and left. She would miss her breakfast, but the slop that they insisted was edible tasted so vile and fishy to her that she hardly cared. She would also miss her medication, though that didn't bother her either. If they wanted her to take it, they should be more prompt and efficient in administering it. She didn't know what it was for, and she doubted she would die from skipping a dose.

Silently, and in just her slippers, she tip toed to the door, careful not to wake anyone. The ability to move silently through the shadows was something else that seemed to be embedded into her, and despite the fact that she couldn't remember where she learned it, the application of it was easily accessible to her when she needed it. While she wasn't sure, she had a feeling that the healer Vel had somehow sorted things in her mind and although the old bat had locked away the memories, she left the training intact. For that, Azula was grateful.

The sky was full of dusky colors as it sometimes was when the light hit the ice caps just right, and the air was cool. She could see her breath as it disbursed before her, but that was not uncommon, even when the air was warm enough not to show anyone else's her's was always visible. The inner fire of her lungs heated the little oxygen far beyond anyone else's capability. The geometric ice buildings were quiet, their inhabitants would begin stirring in an hour or so, after the men had brought in their night's haul of wriggling things from the mud at the bottom of the water to be cooked, or not cooked as the case may be. Delightful.

Her stomach turned over just thinking about it. She would see them unloading spearfish, shark, squid, even porpoise whale meat sometimes, but none of it ever made it to the hospice. They were both an all women and charitable enterprise, and therefore got the dregs of the catch and things nobody else wanted.

Yugoda had suggested that she take up hunting and fishing, if she disliked the food, but for some reason, the tasks had sounded menial and beneath her. It was forbidden by Tribe customs anyways for her to learn such skills anyway. Later, she had figured out why the old woman had pressed it before the fight.

It was her burns.

As long as she lived on their ice, she had to abide by their rules, and in their heathen culture, the husband was the provider for his family. A girl moved out of her father's house, and into her husband's sometime between her sixteenth and eighteenth birthday, and then she relied on him to keep her warm and fed while she bore him plenty of sons. Yugoda knew that nobody would ever want to marry her with her scars, though some men might have been interested, (after all, she was royalty, and she did come with a stipend) had she not been disfigured. She was on her own. If she was ever released from the hospice, she would have to take care of herself. It had disgusted her beyond reason, sobered her beyond compare, and finally pushed her into action.

So there she was in the pre dawn light, in her worn blue parka, poking around the warrior's igloo, looking for a spare spear that she had no clue how to wield properly. Apparently they were not used like a quarterstaff.

Finding the equipment room was easy, and the spears were all lined up neatly along one of the longer walls. Unfortunately, anyone looking at the rack would know immediately that one was missing. So instead of taking one of the nicer ones, Azula continued her exploration, finding a closet of dusty, damaged ones that seemed to have fallen into disuse. It was easy to see why, the carved bone was dull and chipped, and the shafts were cracked and off balance.

Deciding that spinsters couldn't be choosers, she swiped the one that seemed to be in the best shape and slunk back out into the morning light. Stepping gingerly from ice patch to rock to hard packed snow, she navigated away from the building, careful not to leave any footprints in the soft snow. At that hour, there were no benders near to create a break in the ice wall surrounding the city, so she searched around for a place where she could scale the thing. Luckily, the houses were pressed right up against the side, and with a little bit of a scramble, she got to the roof of the igloo, then jumped easily from it to the top of the fence, then another jump, tuck, and roll absorbed the shock of landing on the other side of it.

Stopping, she listened for signs of life, and when she had deemed herself in the clear, she padded clumsily across the tundra, dragging the spear behind her. Since she had no idea where to find a turtle seal, she decided it would be best to first learn her landscape, so she set off east along the shoreline, figuring she could easily follow it back towards the tribe. They were aquatic animals, right? They would stay near the shore, right?

After a few hours of wading through knee deep snow, and not seeing so much as a belly trail, Azula sat down, exhausted, miserable, and famished. Apparently walking through knee deep fresh snow was more difficult than it looked. In fact, a lot more difficult than it looked, she could still see the smoke on the horizon from the settlement. As she chewed her lip in disgust, the wind hit her square in the face, throwing back her hood and tossing her short, shaggy hair around her nose and mouth. Glancing around, she saw a large crescent snow mound that hid a cave mouth, and she staggered over to it, getting inside the lee it provided.

Pulling off her mittens, she blew sparks of heat into her hands, momentarily illuminating the surrounding rocks with the tendrils of flame. In the light, she noticed first that the snow in front was hard packed, the place was well trodden, and that the ground was littered with trinkets and shells, bones, toys, but mostly weapons.

Scanning the area, she found that the far wall had been sanded smooth, and was covered with names. They were carved into the rock, most with titles, and some with honors they had achieved.

It was some sort of graveyard.

Looking around, it was not hard to imagine a ceremony. People standing around, weeping while someone carved a name into the wall. They couldn't have been burned, there was not enough wood available, and they couldn't have been buried, the ground was frozen solid year round. They were cast into the ocean. The knowledge came easily, like most things she knew but didn't know she knew. Their bodies would be sunk to the bottom.

She shuddered, it was barbaric and primitive. As long as they didn't try to do it to her, however, she didn't really care what they did with their dead. As she studied the inscriptions though, she heard the voices and footfalls of people approaching, and hastily she hid behind a stalagmite. Technically she was supposed to be under house arrest at the hospice, it wouldn't do to be found here. Chief Arnook had left on business with his elders the previous day, and the tribesmen would throw her in the jail until he returned to cast judgement.

"You know, I'm sure it's not a curse." There were two of them, both young and male by the sound of it. She was armed and had the element of surprise, it would be no contest.

"Then what is it?" It was Hahn. Azula's grip on her spear tightened.

_It would make more sense to use bending, _she chided herself, _the cave ceiling isn't high enough, it will hamper a staff swing. It's not a weapon anyway, it's a tool, the balance isn't right for fighting someone intelligent._

"I don't know. It's all just coincidence." The other one was saying, "I mean, Yue, your betrothal to her was arranged, she wasn't in love with you. Plus, she was gentle, she wouldn't do that to you. Even if she had loved you, she wasn't the jealous type."

"Everyone thinks I'm cursed, none of the Tribesmen will accept my offers."

This made her forget about looking for the opportune moment to strike. Azula perked up, interested in spite of herself, anything that made Hahn sound so miserable was worth listening to. Silently, she peeked around the corner of the rock formation, trying to catch a glimpse of the men.

"Well, people are just superstitious." The other, a bender by the look of him, was saying, "My uncle doesn't blame you, you followed your orders, that's all anyone expected you to do."

"That kid Sokka didn't."

"That's all water under the bridge. So, Uncle Arnook likes him, so he is a prince now, so what? In the spirit of kinship, why don't you ask him for his sister's hand? It would do me a huge favor."

"You're not helping."

They sat in silence for a while, and Azula saw him pull off his glove and extract a small, carved toy from his pocket. He turned it over and over again in his fingers, staring at it blankly.

"I'm going to be just like Master Pakku, aren't I?" he mumbled, "Living in the barracks with the trainees and unmarried warriors until I'm sixty."

"No, of course you're not, he forsook women, you and I? We've been rejected."

"He would be a year old by now." Hahn continued, "If I wasn't cursed, that is."

"I told you already, it's a coincidence!"

"Four times a widower is not coincidence."

"Come on, Hahn, this place is depressing you, let's get back so we're not late for morning practice."

Azula counted to two hundred after their footfalls died away, and then stood up and brushed herself off. With little respect for the dead, she tromped over and picked up the toy Hahn had left, it was a strange bird she didn't recognize, with two sets of wings and a short, squat body. He must have carved it, the skill of the sculptor and time spent was apparent on the first inspection. The anger flooded her, the hate, the guilt, the jealousy. The more she thought about it, the more unfair it seemed, and the quicker her pulse came. Somehow, the idea chafed against the unknown festering wound in her mind. With a grunt of satisfaction, she dropped the thing to the ground and shattered it underneath her heel.

Nobody mourned her.

...

...

...

Traveling across the Earth Kingdom with a child actually proved easier than expected. After the initial tantrums, Bean had settled down and been quite agreeable, as long as she was fed on time and changed promptly. She had also discovered grabbing, and Katara soon found her jewelry and hair mercilessly jerked on whenever she wasn't paying attention. She had to heal herself nightly to compensate, but she felt too much pride over being sixteen and by custom, allowed to wear them. It was a mark that she was a woman; officially not a young lady anymore.

Lodgings, had also proved easy to find. Everywhere she went, it seemed, people already knew about the water bender and her sudden reappearance. Whenever she arrived in a new town, someone always seemed to need healing, and the family would offer her some provisions and a place to stay the night. Soon her saddlebags were full, and she actually had to turn down proffered payments, as she had no means to carry them. The only times she would avoid civilization and find a nice secluded meadow to stay the night in were her power spikes.

It was starting to become painfully obvious that she would need a lover on some sort of permanent basis.

She hated the idea that her hormones, the moon, and her bending could force her into such a situation, but Katara was a realist, and the reality was that she could either take control and find a lover, or wait for the situation to spiral out of control and let the cards fall as they pleased. Perhaps that's why the women of the water tribe consented to being married so early. Pure sexual frustration.

There was, however, nothing she could do about it on the road, and as soon as the sun rose on the second day, she would begin to feel better, and her body's appetite would diminish.

Everyone seemed to be very interested in Bean, though she was careful not to divulge any information about the squirt. Technically, she was the heir to the Fire Nation Throne until Zuko had a child, and she didn't want word getting out about it. She remembered all too clearly the brushes she had had with the fire nation rebellion, and the secret order of women worldwide.

Bean, for her part, seemed to be enjoying the attention. Katara worried though, as caregivers tended to. She had talked herself hoarse to the girl during their travels from everything from the war to make up, but the girl had yet to speak at all. She would wail when she was discontented (or bored), and shriek when she was delighted, so Katara knew there was nothing wrong with her throat. Sometimes, the water bender swore the little girl understood her when she talked, but she had no proof.

There was also the question of the green fire. Ty Lee had said that it was a game of temperatures, but Katara was not so sure. It was logical, plausible, and hard to disprove as there wasn't any real way of measuring the heat of bent fire since it flickered out so quickly.

Katara couldn't help but feel like it had something to do with the girl's parentage. Azula's mother was rumored to be some sort of ocean creature's offspring, and Bean's mother, well, she definitely was a swamp woman. Maybe she had some sort of something in her heritage as well? Was it something that only affected the women or could the men bend colored fire naturally too?

"You have a lot of nerve, you know!"

Katara looked up from the glass of water she had been trying to coax Bean into drinking.

"Disappearing like that then showing up with his kid." June slid into the seat across from her, a mug in her hand. She looked the same as ever, her make up was impeccably applied, and her lip color never seemed to come off on her mug. The only new addition to her appearance was the hilt of a sword sticking up from her back where the sheath was affixed. Obviously she had mastered whatever Piandao had to teach. "Where have you been?"

Katara slid her sleeve up and revealed the snake tattoo on her right arm, "You know, around." Was all she said aloud. June's sneer evaporated, both of them were sworn to keep the secret of the temple.

"I thought it was just rural gossip." She shook her head, "Katara, I thought you were smarter than all that."

"Look, it's just something I have to do." The water bender explained, "It's not fair to her not to introduce her to her father."

"I have half a mind to go tell Zuko you've reappeared myself, you should have seen him flip out once he noticed you were gone." June took another drink, "that, however, would cost money, and you and your friends are quite the financial hemorrhage."

"I'd really rather talk to him myself, in person, if you don't mind. It is our business after all." Katara replied, bristling.

"Whatever, it's your reputation." With that, the bounty hunter tossed a coin on the table for her ale and left.

...

...

...

"Fire Lord Zuko!" Ling was half walking half running towards him, across the garden path, her skirts fluttering around her legs, "I have just heard the most distressing news!!"

"Whatever Toph told you, it's probably a lie." Zuko replied, standing politely. The Turtle ducks scuttled back into the water, spooked by the sudden movements.

"It's not her." She was angry, he could tell, but like Mai and most of the other well brought up ladies, she was bottling it up, "It's Master Katara, she's . . . she's traveling for Ba Sing Se."

"Is she?" Zuko tried desperately to feign disinterest but couldn't, whatever had made the usually proper girl so upset had to be important.

"She's not alone." Ling's eyes narrowed, she was watching his reactions, analyzing them. He only knew it though because he was looking for it.

"That's good." He replied, trying to keep his voice neutral, "It's still a bit dangerous to travel parts of the Earth Kingdom alone."

"She has with her a child. A fire bender." Ling elaborated, "one with gold eyes." Her expression was fierce.

Zuko wished wildly that Toph was there, she would know if this was a lie or not. It had to be a lie. Katara drank that swamp herb mixture to stop unwanted children! _She did disappear so suddenly . . ._ his mind reminded him, _and she didn't say why . . . what if . . ._

"Fire Lord! I advise you to take immediate action! We have our reputations to maintain!!" the aristocrat was insisting, "You must denounce her at once!! What will people say at the Earth King's wedding this market-day if news gets out?!"

Zuko resisted the urge to shove the manipulative lady into the pond. How dare she talk that way about his lover?! Biting the inside of his lip hard, he reminded himself that the girl fancied herself the future Fire Lady. She had, as far as most of the courtiers knew, gained his favor, and would soon officially be his girlfriend.

Without speaking to her, he fled the garden. She called something after him, but he didn't stop. He needed to find Toph, and he needed to find the source of the rumor. He needed to write his Uncle for advice, tell Sokka, and probably Chief Hakoda and Chief Arnook.

He needed to find Katara.

...

...

...

Iroh bustled back and forth in his tea shop, smiling happily at his patrons as they sat and sipped their drinks. It was the usual early afternoon crowd, and he looked forward to a busy evening. The weather was cool, and most people fancied a cup of tea after their evening meal.

As he wiped one of the recently vacated tables, he heard a knocking on the doorframe, and someone called his name. That was odd, the door was open and there was no need to knock.

"Come in, come in . . . Katara?" The water bender stood there, her ice blue eyes tired. Her travel cloths were dirty, and she held a baby in one of her arms. She also was sporting new tattoos on her arms that looked Swamp, bone piercings that could not be mistaken for anything other than water tribe, and her hair was a bit shorter. It was easy to see that she had begun to embrace the fashions and customs of her Tribe. If he hadn't had caught sight of her blue eyes, he might have mistaken her for someone else.

"Hello Iroh, how are you?"

"I thought this day might come when someone showed up with a child." Iroh said solemnly, "I would have wagered it would be Ty Lee though . . . never mind that, so, is this your daughter?"

"My... daughter?" Katara blinked, "Wait, she's not _mine_." By then, all the pai sho gaming had ceased and all the eyes in the tea shop were pinned directly on her and Iroh. Everyone wanted to see the father drama play out.

"In fact," Katara continued as she stepped in to give the older man a good view of the infant, "she's yours."

"Mine?!" Iroh sounded stunned, "You must be mistaken Katara, I'm far too old to have a ch-"

"Her mother's name was Naj." Katara watched as recognition swept across Iroh's features, "So, you do remember." She tried not to sound as pleased with herself as she felt.

"But why have you brought her here? She seemed like a very capable mother!"

Katara's smile faded and she shuffled her feet, she hated to be the bearer of bad news.

"She died in childbirth, Her daughter, your daughter couldn't stay, fire benders cant stay there, it's against tradition. It was either here with you, or . . ." Katara frowned, glancing at the eavesdropping old men, "or the Warriors." She whispered.

"So, that's Iroh's girlfriend?" one of the men asked another.

"No, you old coot! That's his daughter and grand daughter! Are you deaf?" the other yelled back, with total disregard for the volume of his voice.

"Perhaps we should go into the kitchen." Iroh suggested, and Katara nodded hurriedly. The room was much the same as it had been seasons earlier when she had offered to heal Zuko's scar. The tea was lined up the same, the window was the same, even the work bench was the same, only now it was covered with half ground leaves.

"May I?" Iroh asked, holding out his arms.

Katara smiled and handed over the baby, "See? She has Fire Nation eyes."

The little girl stared up at him, said eyes going wide like saucers then she reached out, grabbed Iroh's beard, and yanked. The older man howled and detangled the small but deadly fingers from his facial hair. Stepping to the window, he pushed her wispy hair back from her face, and smiled.

"What's her name?" he asked, bouncing her a little bit and making her giggle.

"She doesn't have one." Katara explained, "It's your, I don't know, 'fatherly privilege' to name her."

"Ursa." Iroh smiled, "the second."

Katara returned his smile, "I like it."

At that, the newly named infant seemed to grow bored, and began to scream.

"I'm afraid I am out of practice." He confessed, "It's been decades since Lu Ten was a toddler, what do you think she wants?"

"She is probably just hungry." Katara reached out and took her, "I'll feed her, you worry about your patrons."

"Nonsense, I'm calling in a personal day, It's not every day you become a father!" Iroh tapped his lip thoughtfully, "What do you plan to do now, Katara?"

"I was going to go home."

"You wouldn't be interested in staying on a few days?" Iroh's expression turned to that of a puppy dog, "I'm quite unprepared, and it would be easier for her and me both if we had a helper until I could hire a permanent nanny."

Katara chewed her lip. She was old enough to be able to sense an ulterior motive when she heard one, but he probably did need the help.

"One week, is that fair?"

"One week is generous of you. I will have to see which of my teas will lend themselves to being iced . . ."

...

...

...

Katara had closed the shop, swept, and dusted by the time Iroh had returned. The patrons had slowly filtered out, and when the last one left, she had turned the door notice from open to closed, and pulled in the sign announcing the days specials in. Bean, for her part, was laying on her back on a blanket, chewing adamantly on her own toes and squealing with glee.

Iroh was accompanied by several clerks carrying bags of cloths, toys, furniture, food, and diapers. The water bender wondered briefly if he had bought out the entire upper ring marketplace.

"I sent a message to Zuko, though I doubt he will get it, in time, next to the hawkery though, there was a new toy shop! They had the most beautiful dolls, I couldn't decide which I liked the best." The older man informed her, "So I had to buy them all."

"You're going to spoil her." Katara told him but didn't press the issue. He had never had a daughter before (surrogate or otherwise), so he might as well live it up. Something told her he would make an excellent girl's daddy too.

"Will I? Oh, I picked up something for you too. Consider it a thank you for months of babysitting." Iroh took a covered dress from one of the clerks and pulled up the bottom, revealing a soft, blue tinted fur dress.

"Iroh, where did you FIND this?" Katara dropped to her knees to get a better look. It was from the Northern Water Tribe, but much lighter than their usual dresses. It must have been specially designed to mimic water tribe looks outside a water tribe environment.

"Oh, I have my ways." Iroh waved his hand back and forth loftily, "I hope it fits . . ."

"Oh, I'll try it on, I don't have anywhere to wear it to, though." Katara seized it and darted into the steeping room, shutting the door behind her.

"Not so," Iroh argued, "You have Earth King Kuei's wedding. It is the day after tomorrow."

There was a large thump, then a swear, that echoed from inside the storage room. Iroh suppressed a chuckle. In all the excitement, the Water Bender had forgotten. As he swallowed his laughter, the door hauled open.

"I can't go!! Sokka will kill me." _And Zuko will be there._

"But it is such a special occasion!! The union of Earth and Fire!!" Iroh wheedled, "You cannot _MISS_ it!!"

"I wasn't invited!" She protested.

"I believe the Earth King Kuei sent Sokka your invitation."

"I don't have a date!"

"If you truly want one, I'll find you a date. Every single one of my patrons has at least three grandsons that would give their left ear to be able to attend the Palace's ceremony."

"I don't have someone to watch B . . . I mean, Ursa."

"One of the regulars has already volunteered to watch her for us."

"I don't have any shoes to go with this!"

Iroh held out a pair of blue and white hand beaded moccasins, "Will these do?"

Katara opened her mouth, but she seemed to have run out of excuses. Pouting, she reached out and grabbed the shoes, then closed the door again. It was a bribe, of course it was. A beautiful, soft, form fitting, curve hugging, scoop necked, high low layered, hip silted, fur trimmed bribe. It was Iroh's way of making sure she and Zuko were at the same place at the same time.

Doing the buttons back up, Katara straightened and smoothed the thing around her, then opened the door.

"How do I look?" She asked tentatively, wishing for a mirror.

"Like a Water Tribe Princess." Iroh complimented, "Exotic and alluring."

"Do you . . ." Katara swallowed, debating, then blurted it out, "Do you think Zuko will like it?"

"I think he finds you enchanting no matter what you wear," Iroh was laying it on thick, Katara knew it, and yet, she didn't mind in the slightest, "Although this dress makes you exquisite, it brings out your eyes, I hoped it would."

"Thanks . . ." she turned to go back into her improvised fitting room.

"Katara." Iroh's hand fell heavily onto her shoulder, stopping her, "Limitless like the ocean are your excellent qualities. My nephew knows this, he is just a little spoiled sometimes, you know how aristocrats are."

...

...

...

Step. Step. Step. Pivot. The Fire Princess walked the yard, careful to step into her own footprints. Her hood was tossed back, and the wind froze her ears, but she hardly paid attention. The older women seated and enjoying their lunch talked about her as though she wasn't there. If her hood was down, she could hear it.

"She won't sleep, she won't eat, and she has been pacing in the yard like a caged tiger bear for nearly two days!" One of the nurses was complaining to Yugoda, "She is well, she cannot stay here much longer. She disturbs the other patients."

"I am fully aware of that, Once Chief Arnook returns from the wedding, I will propose that he move her to the barracks with the warriors." Yugoda responded calmly, "I believe she will be happier sparring, hunting, fighting, and salvaging with them than staying here. Hopefully, it will exhaust this manic restlessness out of her."

"She cannot! It's forbidden for a woman to train with the men!!"

"I will remind the Chief that that rule was originally put in place to keep the girl benders isolated when their moon cycles ran. Azula is a fire bender, she wont climb into another man's furs the instant the moon changes, I doubt any of the men would want to take her into their furs anyways. Despite our best efforts much of her is utterly ruined."

"Many men don't judge on appearance alone."

"She is not the sweetest flower in the garden either." Yugoda persisted, "The men are used to subservience and docility. In my opinion, she will fit right in as 'one of the boys'."

"Perhaps she could take a wife!" giggled the other, "She likes being waited on enough!!"

Azula stopped, swaying back and forth, "I refuse to house myself with such animals!"

"Behave yourself sweetie, or I will have to tell the council about your disappearances in the early hours of the morning." Yugoda smiled, and waved the girl back to her pacing.

The Princess stared contemptuously at them for another long moment, then resumed her trudging around the yard. As soon as she did, the women resumed their conversation.

"Sneaking out in the small hours of the morning?! Perhaps she does have a lover." The nurse whispered, scandalized.

Yugoda shook her head, "I would have been able to tell, I keep an eye on her neck for bruises and her body for scratches."

Azula turned away and rounded the corner, disgusted. Who did they think she was?! Some sort of common whore?!

Pulling off her mitten, she touched the ragged flesh on the back of her hand. It had faded to her skin tone, but never smoothed. It never would. It would always be as rough as a komodo rhino, and she would never regain much feeling in it.

Her fingers twitched restlessly. Maybe staying in the barracks with the unwed warriors would be okay for now . . .

...

...

...

The sun had barely reached the zenith of it's journey when Katara, who had been moping in her room, heard a horrible clatter coming through her doorway. Sokka threw his arms around her from behind, nearly taking her down in the process. She knew it was him instantly, nobody smelled quite like him. Suddenly, everyone was yelling, she heard Suki, Toph, Aang, Ty Lee, and Kisa shouting at him, but whatever it was they soon abandoned it to deliver hugs of their own.

"Oh my gosh, Katara!!" Ty Lee beamed, "You look like one of the Water Tribe Warriors from an illustrated romance scroll!!"

"'Tara, you should pull the shades up!" Suki commented, letting the light in the room, "It's nearly noon!"

Aang smiled at her and curled his fingers in a small wave, but didn't say anything. Instead he shuffled his feet nervously on the floor. He was still quite short, but his muscles had developed and his face was starting to look more adult. _Was he thirteen now, or fourteen? _Katara wondered to herself.

"Why are you moping?" Sokka asked, "Haven't you heard from jerk bender?"

"No . . . don't call him that, Sokka."

"I'm supposed to ask you if you want to see him." Toph put in, "He want's to know if you're still angry with him."

"I should kick his butt for what he did to you!" Sokka punched his fist into his open palm, accentuating the fact.

"He was angry, I deserved it, I messed up."

"I can't believe you, Sugar Queen!" Toph widened her stance, digging her heels into the ground stubbornly, "After all that, he acts like a total . . . ugh, and you just SIT here and make excuses for him."

Katara stared at Toph in disbelief, but straightened and squared her shoulders against the verbal assault, "Just what do you suggest I do then, Toph?"

"You never had a problem telling him he was being a twat before! You never had a problem telling him he was being a twat, even if he wasn't being one, before!"

"You shouldn't let things fall apart now," Suki advised, "Especially now, for the sake of the baby."

"Was that your daughter with Iroh downstairs?" Ty Lee blathered on, "we heard you had one, I bet she is adorable! Does she have almond eyes like yours or slanted like Zuko's?"

"My daughter?" Katara blinked scratching her head again, "Umm, I don't have a daughter . . . Iroh has a daughter."

The room seemed to quiet as everyone looked at each other.

"She isn't lying." Toph muttered, breaking the awkward silence, but intensifying it.

"But even June confirmed it!" Sokka protested.

Katara flashed back to the journey . . . all the glances, all the questions, all the whispers. Of course. _Of course._ Everyone thought it was _her_ child. Gold Eyes. Fire Bender. Everyone thought it was Zuko's illegitimate child. After her abrupt disappearance, it was a logical conclusion to draw. The time frame was skewed, but not so much that it wasn't plausible to an observer.

_Idiot._

Nobody had actually _asked_ her who Bean's father was, or her mother for that matter. She had just assumed!

"Katara stop slamming the back of your head against the wall!!" Kisa somehow ninjaed her pillow in between her skull and the plaster mid thump.

"Someone should probably tell Zuko . . ." Aang admitted.

"He thinks he is following in his father's footsteps as the world's worst dad." Toph explained, "He heard the rumor too . . . He was in my room for hours ranting! My feet almost went deaf."

"How can your feet go deaf?" Sokka asked, unimpressed.

"I thought you looked too good to be lactating." Ty Lee leaned into her girlfriend, "Didn't she look too good to be lactating?"

Kisa nodded, and then both giggled. Katara grabbed the pillow from behind her head and hugged it across her breasts, her face flushing. "Thanks a lot, guys."

"You should talk to Zuko before the party. If we can clear up this misunderstanding you both can get back together." Suki was trying to steer the conversation away from boobs.

"Hey! I'm not sure he deserves my little sister any more!!" Sokka argued, putting a hand protectively on Katara's head.

"Oh? What do you want me to do?" Katara asked, "Just break into the castle and find him? Sneak past the Royal Guards, and give him the scolding of a lifetime? You know how heavy the security is there!! I wouldn't even be able to get in as a waiter."

The girls exchanged looks.

"I know a secret passage into the castle from when we took it over." Ty Lee offered.

"I can sneak you past the guards." Suki added.

"I can yell _really_ loud." Toph smirked.

"Come on guys, Katara doesn't have to sneak in, The castle staff know who she is."

"But what about his G-" Suki elbowed her sister hard in the chest, cutting her off from finishing the thought.

"What about his what?"

"Nothing!" Kisa replied hurriedly.

"His girlfriend," Ty Lee supplied, somehow having missed the elbow-talk.

"His what?" It felt, for an instant like Hama had reached into her blood and frozen it solid. Suddenly every inch of her was cold.

"Er . . ." Ty Lee looked around hopefully, and then when nobody stepped in to explain, she pressed on, "Well, he was worried about you, we all were . . . worried that someone would hurt or kidnap you."

"It was my idea." Toph interjected, "To lull them into a false sense of security."

"Yea, so he has been going along with this little power play. It was that same girl from the hallway, she's a member of the illustrious Five Seven Five society in Ba Sing Se."

"And she is my nemesis." Sokka put in, his eyes narrowing.

"He doesn't like her!" Toph added quickly, "None of us do, but we thought that they might try to hurt you if things didn't go well for them. I mean, they have before, and with Azula still in the picture . . ."

"Azula's still alive?!" Katara remembered her vision, then Ursa's words to her about the society and shivered.

"You should set things right with him. Tonight, before the Festivities start tomorrow." Toph advised.

Katara sighed, "You're right, Toph."

"I know."

...

...

...

Ba Sing Se was finally starting to look like its old self again. The breeze that cut through the buildings was cool, gentle, and smelled of earth. The moon was rising and Katara could feel it pulling gently on her, it made her whole body tingle.

Katara was frustrated. She was frustrated with herself, with the moon, with Zuko, with everyone. Things had suddenly spiraled out of control, and she had no idea how to stop them. Sitting on the roof of the tea shop, she breathed deeply, letting the night air fill her lungs until they burned then let it out in one frosty exhale. Her powers were heightened during this phase, they always were.

She wondered briefly if her brother would be angry if he knew what the moon, his ex-girlfriend, did to her. Not only did it amplify a Water Bender's power when full, it also had a rather maddening effect on the women.

And Katara blamed both this feelings she has started having, and the curious events that had followed, fully on the moon.

"Katara?" Iroh leaned out the window, "You should get some sleep, tomorrow will be a big day, and therefore, I am sure Ursa will scream as much of the night as is humanly possible."

"I'll be in in a little while." Katara lied. Ty Lee was waiting for her at the side of the palace, she was going to show her the secret entrance. Toph was in her room, charged with keeping the baby quiet by any means necessary, minus anything violent or scary. The 'scary' part was particularly stressed when the girls discussed the plan. Suki would meet her inside since she and Sokka were staying in the palace, So was Arnook and some of his warriors, along with the Fire Lord, King Bumi, and even the Bei Fongs.

Although the whole city was celebrating, she had even helped Iroh hang decorative paper lanterns all evening, only those in the palace would get to witness the actual ceremony. Sokka had promised to come by to drop off her invitation in the morning, but she was pretty sure it would be Suki who would end up doing it. She knew how much her brother hated getting up in the morning.

"I think Iroh is asleep." Toph stuck her head out the window, "Either that or he is snoring like a lawnmower for fun."

Katara scooted over to the edge of the roof and felt around for the window ledge with her toe. Being careful not to slip, she maneuvered herself back into the guest room she was occupying.

". . . I mean, honestly, who makes noise like that while they sleep?" Toph was babbling on cheerfully, "Did Sparky have to camp out next to that every night when he was a refugee? No wonder he was cranky! He never got any sleep!"

"Where are my clothes?" Katara asked as she back bended through the frame, her lower back muscles and obliques engaging.

"On the bed, Hurry up and ninja-ccessorize." Toph had not moved,

"Ninja-ces . . . I'm not sneaking in." Katara raised an eyebrow but pulled the black cloths on anyway, her stomach nervous.

Slipping back out the window, Katara disappeared into the darkness.

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...

...

Zuko pulled the curtains of his room back and flung the doors open. The full moon hung low in the horizon, looking larger than life. It made the corner of his mouth twitch, Katara would be feeling it. He still thought about her often, and he hoped that Toph could convince her to meet him. The little earth bender had not returned after her visit with the water bender, and he hoped that it was a good sign.

With a long, depressed sigh, he rubbed his forehead and turned away from the cityscape. Nimbly, his fingers undid the ties of his shoulder pads and outer robe, then pulled out his topknot, combing his fingers through his lengthening hair. He had just finished undoing his inner robe when he heard someone shift behind him.

_An assassin?! _He whirled around and threw the bulky fabric to the floor, raising his hands into a ready stance. One of the shadows next to his curtain detached itself and stepped forward, hips swinging in the most familiar manner.

"Katara?!" His voice rasped out. It was her, her mouth and nose were covered with black fabric, but he had long ago memorized her arctic eyes.

"Zuko," She replied, her voice muffled by the face mask, "We need to talk, Toph told me that-"

"'Tara, _are you pregnant_?!"

Katara smiled dryly under her shroud in spite of herself. That was the first thing out of his mouth? That's what he had been waiting to say? She swept her hand in a long arc, gesturing to her chest, stomach, and thighs.

"Clearly, I am not pregnant."

"No!" Zuko waved his hands, "I mean, were you pregnant?!"

"No." Katara began to explain, her voice tense, as though she expected him to explode at her again, "She was Iroh's daughter, your cousin. That's why she had gold eyes and fire bent. I bet you were really worried there, huh?"

"The rumors . . . they . . . and then . . ." Zuko was stammering, as though he couldn't make up his mind what to say first. He looked older, his hair longer, and his amber eyes tired. His chest was toned again, how it had been when he had fought beside her for his kingdom.

"I came here to talk," Katara pressed on, "I figure I owe you an explanation-"

"You're damn right you do!! How could you disappear on me like that?!" He turned this way and that, his hands gesturing wildly, "Not a note, not a message, nothing!! How do you think I felt Katara?! I was worried out of my mind! Did you want me to chase you?! I couldn't chase you!"

"I didn't want that."

"Then it was to punish me!!"

"No, I just wanted to give you your space." Katara wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly chilled, even through the heat of her moon induced desires.

"Then, why leave your necklace?!"

"You brought it with you?" Katara took a step forward, her eyes searching the room but finding nothing.

"Why? Was it supposed to make up for my mother's death somehow? Some sort of girly apology?!" Zuko didn't answer her question, only posed more of his own.

"It was a promise." Katara confessed, "A promise that I would be back for it."

Zuko stood silently, looking from the stone floor to her, then back again. His brow furrowed, and suddenly, he seemed to lose himself in thought.

"Could you put your shirt back on?" she asked, swallowing and shifting onto her right leg uncomfortably. That seemed to sober him, and without complying, he crossed the room in a few long bounds and seized her in a large hug.

"Where WERE you?!"

"Well, it's a long story really . . ." Katara took a deep breath to launch into a well rehearsed explanation, meant to quell his anger, but he didn't let her. Maybe it didn't matter anyway.

He grabbed her face mask with both hands, trying to tug it off her, and Katara instinctively grabbed it, holding it in place. When his attempt to unmask her failed, Zuko lowered his head and crushed his lips to hers as though the fabric wasn't there. Katara squeaked, startled, and wondered how her hands had gone from her facemask to his wrists where his hands cupped her face.

"Katara, I'm sorry," he whispered as he broke the kiss, the taste of the cotton over her face lingering on his tongue, "I was angry, and I know that's no excuse . . ."

"No, you had every right to be. I miscalculated; I should have been able to protect her."

"You didn't have your bending." Zuko dismissed, hugging her tightly to him, "It was utterly ridiculous of me to expect you to be able to defeat my sister."

Katara quieted, relaxing into the embrace. The familiar sensations flooded her, his slightly smoky smell, the slightly ragged rise and fall of his chest as he drew breath, the hammering of his heart against her cheek. The full weight of how much she had missed him practically collapsed her. Her hand raised to caress the star shaped scar on his breast. She wanted him so badly.

Reaching up, she pulled the mask down, off her chin, and raised her face to him, tucking the stray locks behind her ear and letting the soft moonlight fall on it. She wondered if she looked as different to him as he did to her. Older probably, fiercer, more decorated, more independent, but still Katara. Always Katara.

He stared at her a long time, his face unreadable, and she looked down and away, starting to fidget under the scrutiny. His hands, however, tightened around her waist, pulling her closer. Traitorously, her body began to tremble with excitement beneath his touch.

"Zuko."

"Mmm?"

"I have to go. Right now." Turning, she tried to shimmy out of his grasp and flee, but he pulled her back against him.

"How long?"

His breath dusted hot across her neck, and somehow through unknown chemistry, turned her knees to jelly. Katara took a deep breath, she hadn't understood what he said.

"'How long' what?"

"Since you had an outlet?"

"What makes you think it's been a while?!" Katara did her best to sound haughty, "I could have had any swamp man I wanted!"

"You're not fooling me 'Tara, the sight of my naked chest was making you quiver."

"I came here to talk and _clear_ the air, not to _have_ an affair." If she had been less turned on, the statement would have been punctuated by a shove to his chest. Unfortunately, her desire to indulge her pride could not compete with her desire to indulge.

"What, you've never heard of make up sex?" She felt him shift, then his mouth conformed itself to the juncture of her neck and collarbone, "I'll have to teach you."

...

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...

It had taken hours of fussing for everyone to be made up to Ty Lee's standards. Toph, Katara, and Kisa were all thoroughly annoyed by the acrobat by the time they were ready to go. It didn't seem to matter how many times they had reapplied their makeup, she was never satisfied.

Although she looked, she couldn't find Zuko as she took her seat between Sokka and Toph. The Earth King Kuei came out first, his bear Bosco in tow, it's circus jacket and Fez exchanged for finer looking formal robes. Was the bear really going to be the groom's man?! The band began to play, the drum beats stirring everyone's blood, then Zuko clad in his ceremonial armor, and the Bride in a luxurious red kimono and long, elaborately tied obi.

The Ceremony was boring and long winded, and Katara kept having to elbow Toph to keep the young girl from nodding off. Every time she would though, Toph would grimace and elbow her back. They had to sit through first the sun sages then the Earth Kingdom missionaries before the vows were read and the rings were exchanged. At the end however, when the young couple kissed, a barrage of fireworks lit the sky, and the whole crowd surged to their feet and cheered.

"What happened?!" Toph bolted up, "Did someone set off a pot of blasting jelly?"

"No! Silly," Ty Lee patted her before the girl could bend, "It's the fire rockets! They're the most amazing colors!!"

The after party commenced soon after, and Katara inventoried her new dress, making sure it was immaculate before making her way over to the Fire Lord. He and Iroh were chatting amiably, sipping from small mugs of saki, and both stopped and stared at her as she walked up.

"Lady Katara!" Iroh still had no idea of her night out, "you look beautiful, may I fetch you a drink?"

"Yes, that would be lovely."

The two benders stood in silence as the older man padded away. Katara looked around, where was Sokka's nemesis? Shouldn't she be with him, hanging off of his arm? Was Ty Lee wrong?

"Uncle said he bought you the dress." Zuko offered her his arm. "In return for finding his daughter."

"Ty Lee said you have a girlfriend." Katara whispered, refusing it, "You shouldn't be so openly affectionate."

"I have an enemy I am pretending to flirt with so that she will not get suspicious. I didn't know where you were, I was worried . . . I haven't touched her, I swear, and Toph will confirm it." Zuko's face fell, and he began defending himself, as though he thought that she misunderstood and was mad. "She isn't even a girlfriend, she just thinks I like her and she will be soon!"

"I'm not mad, I was for a while, but not anymore." Katara told him in a murmur, "Toph explained it in detail, I'm glad you were looking out for me. Your mother . . . before she died, she said I could be targeted if I stayed with you."

"Targeted?!" Zuko choked on his sip of alcohol and doubled over, coughing, "You mean, like, assassinated?!"

"Don't look at me like that! I can take care of myself!!" Katara patted him on the back, helping support him, "Just, with the little one to take care of on the road, you know how it is."

"I'll cast her off right now!!" Zuko hissed as he stood.

"No." Katara tried to calm him down, scared he might storm off and confront the manipulative girl in his temper, "If you do it now, they'll know it was because of me."

"So?" Zuko looked disappointed on top of livid, he was looking for an excuse to drop the leech. Luckily for him, she was better at the silly girl games and intrigue that the Order seemed to deal in.

"Wait a month or two, then fight with her." Katara shrugged, "About anything. Make it look like her fault."

"Katara, that's ridiculous. No more secrets. No more games."

"But-"

"I love you." With that, he leaned down and kissed her; kissed her in front of the entire Earth, Fire, and Water Nations.

In front of her family.

In front of his advisors.

In front of Arnook and the chieftains.

In front of the Order of the White Lotus.

In front of the Council of Five.

In front of _everyone_.

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**Epilogue**

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Zuko stood on the balcony, staring at the nearly full moon. Even in the cool night air, it was impossible to escape the blaring of the sungi horn.

"Nephew, what are you doing out here? After causing such a fuss!! You should be inside celebrating! Every man in the kingdom wants to shake your hand!" Iroh walked out to meet him, then offered him a drink. Zuko accepted the glass, but didn't drink.

"Thinking."

"I would have thought that you would be inside, escorting your lovely new girlfriend."

"She isn't a _new_ girlfriend."

Iroh chuckled, "Then your newly acknowledged girlfriend."

"She got swept off by the rest of the girls to the ladies lounge." Zuko swirled the liquid in his cup, "They said that with all the tears, they would need to fix her make up."

"Undoubtedly gossiping about you."

"Mmm . . ."

"So what were you thinking about, Zuko?"

"I was remembering what you told me once." Zuko confessed, "Remember? You told me destiny is a funny thing, and that you never know how things are going to turn out."

"Yes." Iroh took a sip, looking out over the city walls. The gates to the rings were thrown wide, and music floated up from the lantern lit streets. He could see shadows of figures dancing and laughing, all were making merry at the union.

"I think I understand it now.I understood it before, but, every day, it seems clearer. Almost a year ago, I started out searching for the Fire Lady," Zuko said at last, "and I think I've found her."

...

...

...

Katara felt faint.

She had never in a million years expected such a grand gesture. No more sneaking around, no more marriage proposals. No more sneaking around. It was almost liberating. She had slipped away from Suki and Ty Lee, claiming the need for a breath of fresh air. Really, she just wanted to be alone for a minute to absorb the events.

_Engaged._

The word seemed unreal. She wasn't sure how it happened. Well, she knew, but she didn't _know._ One minute he had been kissing her, then he sunk down onto his knees and offered her her mother's necklace.

_You told me this necklace was a promise._ His words echoed through her mind, _so this is my promise to you . . ._

Reaching out, she found the pedestal of one of the stone statues and supported herself. She was still in shock. It felt so unreal. _Fire Lady._ Did she want to be Fire Lady?! It was so much responsibility!!

She was so absorbed in her thoughts, she failed to notice the approaching footsteps. A throat cleared in front of her, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. She paled when she saw who it was. Standing in front of her, her arms crossed, her toe tapping angrily stood the poet from Lyire's memory.

"May I help you?" Katara asked, playing dumb.

"You think you're so smooth." The woman told her, although it was a haiku, it was also a threat, "Playing lover to the Lord, I won't lose to you.

"Excuse me?" Katara's grip on the statue tightened, "I don't think you realize who you're dealing with."

"No." the poetess had abandoned the pentameter, "_You_ don't know who _you're _dealing with, nobody makes a fool of me. I eat girls like you for breakfast, and it's _not_ over yet, I promise." With that, Katara heard the click of the wooden earth kingdom shoes proceed down the hall.

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**Oh Iroh, you do love to shop, don't you?**

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**Oh right . . . **_**THE END!!!!!!**_

**Okay, this concludes the story arc that is ****Midsummer Madness****. I hope you all enjoyed it!! Sequel is officially up, and summary is below:**

**A Net to Catch the Wind**

_The whole Fire Nation is in a tizzy because the birth of the century is about to take place. Unfortunately, there is protocol for things like this, and only one person the Fire Lord trusts to midwife such an important labor. Zutara, Azula/Hahn, Taang, Sukka._

**It would probably be easiest to find via my profile.  
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**I missed all you Zutarians at NYCC!! I went dressed as Katara, and people kept asking me where Aang was . . . I told them I left him for Zuko, and everyone gasped and looked offended. **

**I did not get a single 'Zuko? Hellz yes! ::high five::'**

**::sigh:: Oh the Humanity!!**

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**I hope you liked the ending, I wanted it to be a la **_**Bridget Jones, the edge of reason.**_** I'm not sure I like the last chapter, it feels a bit rushed, but whatever, it's been one hell of a ride.**

**THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR READING!! I am truly flabbergasted that such a silly little fic got so popular, it exceeded my wildest dreams. I hope you have had as much fun reading as I did writing!!**

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**Hope you enjoyed the fic!! Review Review **_**Review**_**! It's your last chance!!! **

**No more chapters so make it count!!**


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